Can You Have It All? Integrating Motherhood and a Career

Guest blog by Chantal Taylor, Group Head of HR at TTP plc

When well-slept, well-fed, and having had a chance to play, my daughters (aged 5 and 7) are pure joy. Motherhood has taught me many things. The first, and perhaps the most obvious, is that my basic needs are much the same as theirs. The second is that, although I love my children and would give (and give up) almost anything for them, I need to work outside the home. I am a mum, and I am a professional. In some respects, these identities complement each other, but in daily life, there are frequent conflicts. Have I missed a trick somewhere?

Why I Love My Job

The feeling of achievement, the variety, and the intellectual and social stimulation I get from work nourishes me. I’m fortunate to have a great working environment at TTP—interesting, respectful colleagues, opportunities to be creative, and a chance to keep learning on a beautiful campus.

More fundamentally, work reminds me that I am a person in my own right, and it gives me a context to make an impact beyond the domestic sphere.

How Being a Mum Helps at Work and Vice Versa

Women who have been on maternity leave (or have taken longer career breaks) sometimes share fears about getting back into the rhythm of work—what they may have missed, or what might be difficult. Maternity leave is not a loop in time where your brain stops developing. On the contrary, it’s a period of intense development with respect to valuable professional skills such as empathy, communication, resilience, and prioritisation.

A period of working relentlessly in the home re-energised me for professional work, and I returned with a new outlook, appreciating things that I may have overlooked before.

There are also ways in which my family benefits from my job. Beyond helping pay the bills, work allows me to bring a broader perspective to our dinner table conversations. The fascinating people I meet and the innovative products developed at TTP (we even launched an intersatellite terminal into space last month!) are frequent topics of discussion.

Moreover, as a mother of two girls, I’m acutely aware that what I do sends them a message about what women can and can’t do. They are growing up in a society full of opportunities, and I want them to see that progress is something we continue to build upon.

Conflicts and Compromises

Without a doubt, there are ways in which my children would benefit if I focused solely on our family. No afterschool late stay—ever. Instead, I could take them swimming, to dance classes, music lessons, or gymnastics. We could do crafts, play games, meet friends at the park. I would never send them to school in the wrong kit or forget money for the ice cream sale. I would stitch their names into everything. I might even iron. And yes, I would be more patient.

I feel guilty.

But we make it work, and the children are happy and don’t seem to mind too much. We’ve made major changes in our lives—moving house, switching schools, and both my husband and I changing jobs to find a sustainable daily routine. My former jet-setting lifestyle and vibrant social life are distant memories now.

I walk the girls to school every morning (actually, we run because we’re always almost late), and my evenings are focused on their needs. My mother and sister help a lot, and the children are blessed with their love and care. Eventually, we found a fun piano teacher who comes to the house. After dinner, we read and play games, and we make the most of weekends.

Missing out on ice-cream day (twice) was tough for my eldest, but now she keeps some change in her schoolbag just in case! Even with more time, would I iron? Probably not.

Finding Fulfilment

At TTP, I have a great team, and I prioritise. Ideally, I’d have more time to work, rest, and exercise. I’m still working my way back into my Before Children wardrobe, but all hope is not lost—the gym at the office is great for a lunchtime workout. As the kids get older, I’m getting more sleep, and there’s nothing more wonderful than Sunday mornings when they join us in bed for cuddles. The patter of their little feet running up the stairs is the sweetest sound.

I don’t think you can have it all. But if you work out what’s most important to you (the shortlist) and compromise on the rest, I think you can enjoy deep fulfilment as a parent and a professional. It’s not everything, and it’s hard and wonderful in equal measure—but it’s more than enough for me.