On being a mom, and a lawyer, in the time of Covid
I am a mom of three. I love spending time with my little crew, but parenting during Covid has been a rollercoaster to say the least. Between shuffling back and forth with work, virtual appointments, long division math, and being tech support for online school, I have taken on an entirely new skillset. And although some of my greatest moments as a mom may not have taken place in the last 12 months, I can assure you that it is proof that we moms know how to get things done. Multi-tasking, and efficiency are second nature for us. Problem solving is a skill we need for survival. Teamwork is always appreciated. We love routine and sticking to the plan but can always adjust for curveballs. And the best part of being a mother is that we have the amazing skill of correlating our rate of productivity with the amount of tasks at hand.
Work has given me a great sense of balance during this time, however. Without giving away too much about how exciting my life may or may not be, I find estate and tax law fascinating. Maybe I have put together too many princess puzzles or lego sets, but I find estate planning similar to those activities. Sometimes there is only one picture and the pieces need to go where they belong, other times, there is no right answer and the finished product is determined by ones’ desires, goals, creativity and skillset.
It could also be the fact that women get better with age (something I firmly believe). My academic track record demonstrates just that. In 2007 I graduated from Loyola Law School with a JD. I was a good student. I did well. I even passed the bar exam on my first sitting. In 2017, I graduated Loyola Law School with an LLM in Tax. At that time, I had two kids at home, and a 40 mile commute to campus several times a week which very well could and did amount to a two hour drive each way between LA and Orange County and I graduated with distinction, a 3.95 GPA. The difference between 2007 me and 2017 me was the exponential increase in passion, drive and focus. It was also the mastering of the above techniques-thank you kids.
I guess the takeaway is that life seems to prepare you for things you may not even see coming. And while there may not be a definite end in sight for COVID-19, the skills I have learned and those that I have turned to most during this time, are here to stay long after we are free of masks, distancing and quarantines.