Don’t Push That Button!

I came from a family pool of hard workers. I was taught to do a good job at any job you did. As a result, I developed a strong work ethic that carried with me all through my career. I was always proud that any job I had was gotten due to hard work, not who or what I knew.

When I became a new supervisor, I had a meeting with the members of the team I would be managing to tell them what I expected from them, and what they could expect from me. I told them I was a laid back type of person, NOT a micromanager as they were all adults and I trusted them to do their jobs to the best of their ability. I would be there to guide them, learn with them, fight for them if needed. I would support them in their career goals, listen to their ideas, work side by side with them. But, and that was a BIG BUTT, I gave them one warning: don’t push this one button. Don’t question my work ethic!

When becoming a Mom was added to my list of careers, I carried that same ethic into that role. I worked hard at being a good Mom. I took this role seriously and it was my most important, challenging, and rewarding job. Being a grandmother falls in here, too.

I wasn’t a perfect parent, but who is! There was not a manual to turn to for guidance, or one that contains a “how to fix” section. I made mistakes, learned from them, and did my best. I took on this role by choice, treated it with care, and grew in it. I also added to my “rules” to never push that one button- Don’t question what kind of mother I am!

I’ve had both buttons pushed. The work ethic challenge made the decision to retire a much easier one to make. Bulling doesn’t work with me. Questioning my parenting skills by someone I love brought out the mama bear in me.

I’m a petite person, but what I lack in statue, I make up for with my mouth. I admit I sometimes don’t have a filter on my mouth, which causes me to tell you like it is. I can brush off the comments about a lot of things. Just DON,T PUSH THAT BUTTON!