Behind the door in my office I kept a small corrugated box containing a Mary Poppins book, a coloring book, some crayons, and two stuffed animals. One morning the president of the company paid a visit to my office and as he glanced around, his gaze lingered on the Mary Poppins book.
“No,” I said, “It’s not for me. It’s my working-mother resource box.”
I explained that I had a free-lance designer with two young children—and sometimes she brought them with her when she came to discuss a project. As soon as the kids came in the door they headed for the box.
“Mommy is busy now,” Cheryl would say. “I need you to be good helpers.”
And they were good helpers, but while Cheryl and I discussed project revisions, we also decided who got to color on what page. I didn’t mind. I had been a young mother once who brought her child to the workplace.
The president nodded as I explained all this and I wondered how well he would manage with two children under five? It wasn’t all fun and games, books and crayons.
When I retired, Cheryl gave me a hug. “Thank you especially for the box,” she said.
