Florida’s First Elected Female Lieutenant Governor Offers Her Expertise
Jennifer Carroll, former lieutenant governor of Florida and author of her autobiography When You Get There offers tips for women who are struggling to strike a work and life balance as both career women and moms. She was a member of the Florida House of Representatives from 2003 until 2010 and has also enacted the role of the executive director of the Florida Department of Veterans Affairs. In addition to having a stellar career, she and her husband, Nolan, have three children.
Carroll tells ANOKHI, “Challenges from my childhood and military career have taught me many valuable lessons — when times get tough, get tougher; stay true to who you are and don’t compromise your principles; be willing to walk away from something that’s causing you clear harm. The perfect worker, wife and mother – these are ‘the big three’ roles that matter most to women, but you really want to make sure your children don’t get lost in this juggling. Your husband and your coworkers are adults; children, on the other hand, are vulnerable.”
Here are some tips that Carroll offers moms everywhere:
Listen to Your Children – They are Your First Priority
As a young girl growing up in Trinidad, Carroll experienced a traumatizing experience. She was approached by a man who convinced her to accompany him to an outhouse. At this moment, he exposed himself inappropriately. She was able to get away but this experience has shaped her life in many ways. As a result, Carroll emphasizes that listening to a child is crucial in order to develop an open and honest relationship between your child and you. “Listen to children when they have something to talk about,” she says. “They may feel too embarrassed to talk about something that happened to them; they may feel like it’s their fault. Be sensitive to their words and behaviour, and be open to what they have to say.”
Family Day Once A Week
As Carroll focused on her career, she focused on carving out one day out of the week devoted to her family. When she was working as the Chairwoman of Space Florida and lieutenant governor, she had limited time to devote to her family. She used Sundays as a time to devote to her family. In particular, Sundays were an important day for her sons Nolan II, Nyckie, and Necho who would make “Football Sunday” as her son Nolan II was a player in the NFL.
Be A Role Model Parent
Having a role model is important in the early years of a child’s life. By portraying a model behaviour and encouraging your child to become smart and honest diligent children. Children look for consistency. If as a parent, you do not follow your words. Your behavior is observed by your children and they will eventually emulate your behavior. Carroll suggests, “Proactive efforts outside the home, like civic and humanitarian projects, are a great way of modeling behavior. My models as a child were my adoptive parents; I think adoption is one of the greatest loves you can provide and is a great model behaviour.”
Feature Image Source: Mommynoire
Adoptive, Advice, Anokhi Blogs, Anokhi Media, Career, Childhood, Children, Compromise, Experienced, Family, Jennifer S. Carroll, Mother, Political Analyst, Traumatizing, Women, Work Life Balance, Working
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