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Meet Megan: Integrated marketing communications coordinator for student recruitment, mom of two children, ages 3 and 14 months

“Don’t try to be perfect. The days will not be perfect, and that’s OK. You will have days that go more smoothly than others.”

Megan Hoose, integrated marketing communications coordinator for student recruitment

  • What do you do at HACC?
    I develop, execute and assess the year-long integrated marketing communications plan for student recruitment. I lead the strategic planning between HACC’s integrated marketing communications firm and the College for student recruitment campaigns. I also oversee the collegewide advertising to communicate to future students why HACC is the best choice for their college education.
     
  • How old are your children?
    My children are 3 (Wyatt) and 14 months old (Presley).
     
  • How are you effectively juggling your professional duties and your personal duties of having your children at home while you work?
    • Building my day into chunks is most effective for me. I start my work day early (about 5-5:30 a.m.) while the kids are still sleeping. I enjoy a cup of coffee in peace while getting a few hours of work in before the chaos begins. ? Yes, that’s the first step – recognizing it’s going to be chaos.
    • If my son wakes up early, he sits next to me while I work and watches television or plays. I take a break from 8-10 a.m. to give the kids mommy time. They need it – and I need it.
    • During the “normal” business hours, I encourage “playing school” while mommy works. Wyatt may color, do crafts or play in his room. I give him an idea of how long I have to work and give him something to look forward to for that day. For example, I will tell him after my afternoon meeting, we will go outside and play. This gets him excited. As for Presley, she is on the move so it is hard to keep her focused and in one spot. I give her lots of toys and Tupperware to play with to occupy her as much as possible. I get a lot of steps in and standing up while I work!
    • I am able to juggle all of it because I have recognized it’s not going to be perfect every day. I also make sure I take some “me” time at some point each day. The hours are going to shift from day to day. I may need to work late at night for an hour after the kids go to bed. I try not to question whether I am doing it right or not. I am doing what I can do and that’s what matters. If my son watches television so I can complete that project or handle that conference call in peace, that’s OK – and he’ll be OK.
       
  • What tips (things to do and things to not do) would you offer to other parents who are struggling with this?
    • Know it takes time and practice to get into the groove.
    • Don’t try to be perfect. The days will not be perfect, and that’s OK. You will have days that go more smoothly than others.
    • Recognize this is short-term.
    • Take time for yourself – even if it’s only 30 minutes. For example, when my husband gets home from work, he takes the children so I can exercise for 30 minutes or clean up the house. If I need that time earlier in the day to breathe, I take the kids with me to exercise. I need to find that 30 minutes of no children at some point in the day or evening. It’s healthy.
    • Try not to get worked up if your house looks like a tornado came through it – every day. This was hard for me in the beginning because I like to keep things in order. However, if the blocks scattered all over the floor are going to keep my 14-month-old occupied for 30 minutes while I complete a project, I’ll take it.
    • Take breaks to play, have dance parties or make lunch together.
    • Try to find blocks of time that work best with everyone’s schedule. I work early in the morning while the kids are still sleeping. This allows me to sign off earlier in the day, which I know my son, Wyatt, appreciates. He jumped for joy one day when I said I was done working. He needs my time.
       
  • Is there anything else you would like to share that we did not ask?
    It’s OK to get frustrated or vent to others about how this is hard. It is hard. But, as parents, we can do this. I’m thankful for HACC’s understanding of the situation and being so flexible with our schedules. I know other parents who don’t have this flexibility, which causes more stress for everyone. Be thankful and enjoy what we have.

Megan Hoose

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