Motherhood is life-changing, but it doesn’t mean you have to put all your dreams on hold. Today we’re highlighting a mom raising five kids while also leading a successful business. `As our Strong Mothers series continues, we’re sharing how Joanna Gaines, the better half of the duo behind “Fixer Upper,” is pursuing her goals while raising a family.
A Different Kind of Balance
Joanna Gaines is a household name. She and her husband, Chip, have been flipping, fixing, and remodeling houses together for over 12 years.
But to her five children (Drake, Ella Rose, Duke, Emmie Kay, and Crew), Joanna is more than an interior designer—she’s the one they reach for when they fall. She’s the one who fixes their favorite meals. The one who cheers the loudest at all of their accomplishments. The one who reads them bedtimes stories and tucks them in every night.
If you’ve ever watched an episode of Fixer Upper, it’s obvious Joanna prioritizes time with her children even in the midst of her busy career. We see the kids at the beginning of each episode, around the kitchen table eating family dinner, and cheering her on before she does her final staging.
But how can you be both a successful business woman and a mom?
This is a question Joanna Gaines gets a lot. She shared her answer in an article titled, “Wholly Unbalanced” on Magnolia Post.
“For me, balance does not exist. The hidden truth about balance is it requires that everything in our lives be equally distributed at all times. It insists that the needs of our marriage and our kids, our work and our relationships, be completely proportional at every given moment. But that’s just not the way my life unfolds every day.”
Rather than seeking balance, she seeks wholeness.
“In our current season of life, which has both Chip and me putting in a lot of hours at the office, wholeness looks like having our kids right there with us,” she explains. “In and around where we work, I’ve carved out intentional spaces for them to spend their afternoons after school.”
Inviting Children into the Work Space
If you’re a mom, inviting your children to enter your work space might sound absurd, but Joanna says it is her special ingredient to making it all work. In fact, she says, “I’ve found that something miraculous happens when I make space for both: Each is made better by the other. My work is undoubtedly more inspired when my kids can be a part of it, and I’m a better mom when my passion for creativity plays a role in how I parent.”
You don’t have to choose between motherhood or chasing your dreams—you can do both. It might take some creativity and flexibility, but you can commit yourself to being “wholly unbalanced.” You can love being a mother while also finding purpose with your work.
Pregnant? You’ve Got This.
The women in our Strong Mothers series are showing there are no limits to what you can achieve–even while pregnant or parenting. If you’ve got your sights set on earning your degree or making the next step in your career, we can help you make a plan to reach your goals.
Our Connect Mentorship program, educational classes, and free resources are also tools that will help you thrive as you navigate the next steps in your pregnancy or as a parent. Make an appointment today or find out more about our free services. We’d love to partner with you to offer support in your journey.
Leiah Roberson
Leiah is the Communications Coordinator at The Pregnancy Network. When she is not behind the computer working or volunteering at church, you can find her drinking coffee, hanging out with friends, or playing fetch with her puppies.