On the heels of International Women’s Month and with Mother’s Day quickly approaching, our SPOTT team wanted to highlight the ‘Working Mom’ in this edition of our Quarterly Newsletter. The COVID-19 pandemic has greatly impacted families all over the world in many ways. Women, particularly working moms, have had to deal with increased household duties like home-schooling and childcare as well as decreased working hours. Many working moms have even experienced job loss. A survey by the Times reported that 80% of mothers in the US said they were managing the home school in their house, over 5 million had lost jobs, and 42% had reduced working hours. We decided to reach out to one of our very own SPOTT Committee members, Karen Burgess, to find out how she has juggled being a working mom during this pandemic.
Karen, tell us a little about your background.
I have an extensive career background in the Administrative field (over 15 years). I began at the young age of 16 years via On the Job Training (OJT) as a Clerk at what is now known as the North Central Regional Health Authority (NCRHA). I worked while successfully completing my APOM at UWI School of Continuing Studies which granted me the opportunity to leave the NCRHA for an opportunity as a Junior Administrative Assistant at the Eastern Regional Health Authority (ERHA). I then pursued further studies/skills (BSc. Business Computing, INTAD, Certified Executive Assistant to name a few) and achieved the rank of Administrative Assistant, one of the highest levels in an Administrative role. I resigned from the ERHA in 2015 and have since worked in several other industries (Security, Clothing, Food and Beauty), further developing my extensive skill base.
What made you decide to join SPOTT?
I joined SPOTT with the hope of imparting the knowledge and skills that I have developed over the years so that I can make a difference in some way. I always wanted to be a Teacher; however, that didn’t work out as planned so I am hoping that being on the Public Relations and Mentorship Committees will allow me to add value and to learn from my other counterparts.
What has it been like being a working Mom during this pandemic?
Being a Mom and a Working Mom, that’s putting on two or more hats at times and although rewarding, it’s been flat out HARD, TOUGH and all those other synonyms. Initially, working from home was great; however, having to constantly make sure your child is doing well mentally, physically, emotionally and with school is tough. It’s a struggle to balance this with work and not be “distracted” with what they’re doing or whether they’re focusing on classes etc. We do what we must to ensure they’re always well and supported.
Have you had to pivot or change careers?
Yes, I have. Unfortunately, due to the pandemic, I became unemployed in June 2020. As I would have mentioned above, I have worked in the Beauty Industry and so since being at home, I am now self-employed and have been working on being an entrepreneur; developing and putting measures in place to launch my Makeup business (Makeup Studio).
How have the social restrictions affected your business? What changes did you make to overcome challenges with your business?
Makeup is heavily dependent on special occasions (Birthdays, Weddings, Photoshoots, Graduations etc.) and with the social restrictions where you’re not allowed to socialize in large numbers, there has been a decline in the Beauty Industry due to that and so, to keep relevant, I had to try to maintain the few Clients I had; House calls were made and all protocols were met.
How have you dealt with your child learning virtually?
I actually wasn’t too worried about my son, now in Standard 3, with the virtual learning. Covid-19 happened when it was the end of the 2nd Term of Standard 2 and before the introduction of virtual learning. He was already accustomed to working on his tablet and maneuvering applications; just as any child who sees those devices for playing games. Nevertheless, he adjusted the best he could and he’s doing well. I know he misses playing with his friends. It’s been a lot of work, projects to be done; however, I always encourage him to strive for excellence. Monitoring hasn’t been too difficult as the school he attends does 3 days virtual and 2 days Google classroom and his teacher really does a great job considering this “new norm.”
What have you learned about yourself due to the pandemic? Has it highlighted any strengths or areas of opportunity?
I’ve learned that I am more resilient and stronger than I thought because the pandemic has taken a toll on all aspects, mostly financially for me. However, God is great and I’m happy to have life. This pandemic has pushed me to fully pursue my passion for makeup creativity and it has created opportunities to be on PR Lists for some local Beauty/Makeup Brands. Also, another highlight, joining the SPOTT Team, being a part of something meaningful for our community, has been a really great opportunity and I am looking forward to the experience.
What advice do you have for other working moms facing similar challenges during the pandemic?
My advice is that even though it’s been challenging during this pandemic, continue to pray; each day we wake up we should thank God for the blessing of starting a new day. Try to always maintain positive thoughts because positive minds equal positive outcomes. Your progress is not to be measured by anyone else’s and lastly but certainly not least, be good examples for your children. They emulate everything we do and say. We don’t always get it right but when they have their own children they will remember when you used to “sing” those morals and values and pass them on.
