Career Mom's Share

Saturday, November 7, 2009

Survival Kit for New Kids on The Block

Surviving in a new company is not an easy job. When you joined a new company, more often than not, you'll feel like lost in the jungle. Drawn in new information flood. Or worse... Nothing to do because no one give you a clue on what to do.

Here are 5 survival kits that I used when I was a New Kids on the Block:

1. Admit that you are new
By admitting that you are new, you will be more open to information. Rule of thumb: listen 80%, talk 20%.

2. Understand the organization
Diligently mine information as much as possible about your new place, both written and unwritten. Identify the structure, who's doing what. Familiarize with how they run the business.

3. Earn your place

Working Mother: Win Your Children

As a working mother, there might be times when you feel jealous to your children's nanny. I did, maybe sometimes still. But the lowest point in my career as a mother was when my daughter was hospitalized because her nanny was taking 1-month unpaid leave.
I have to admit that during the last 1 year before the incident, I got promoted and was very much absorbed with my new role. I was so sure that our bonding was good enough, I overlooked the fact that, just like any other relationship, it needed to be cultivated all the time.

So there I was, strucked by lightening. Realizing that I NEED TO WIN MY DAUGHTER BACK! Now or Never. Now or lose her forever. I started to do things that I knew I should do, but too lazy to do it. I did all the things that I had done when she was younger. And I want to share the 5 things I did to WIN MY CHILD with you...

1. Establish daily routines
To make children feel secured, they need know what to expect. And I also tried to use a very little time that we had.
- I tucked her to bed every night. If I had to stay late, I made it a necessity to talked her on the phone before she went to sleep.
- Before sleeping, we call her father (usually he came home after she sleeps), say prayers together, and I sing her to sleep.
- We take a bath together in the morning. And I used that moments to hear her stories about anything.

2. 50 hugs a day
I am a believer of a theory that says every child need to be hugged 50 times a day to make them feel that s/he is being loved. So I always hugs her every time I could. My daughter and me, we love to cuddle soooo much.
Sometimes when she sleeps, I just love to slip to her room and give her many hugs and kisses. When I'm angry, I put her on my lap or sit beside me, and always put my arms around her. So she knows, that even when I'm angry, I do not love her less.