When they invite you to a weekday event starting at 5 PM

Sep 06, 2025 9:26 pm

🚸 Back-To-School Mixing Babies And Business Edition: Anyone else? Only me?

We're coming up on the final quarter of 2025 and all three of our kids made it to preschool, Grades 2 and 4 this week (on time each morning). Whooooohoooo!!!


BUT it also coincides with the nonsense parents regularly encounter in 'professional' environments.


👀Here's a little refresher based on my lived experiences AND my face when they say...


  • We don't have a speaker budget, would you like to sponsor the event?
  • I love your work! Can I pick your brain?
  • Flexible, inclusive company, fully remote role [insert country base]
  • The event runs from 5-7 PM
  • We're worried children might disrupt other event participants 
  • You are welcome to use the couches (in the lobby) to change your baby 
  • The office hours are 8:30 AM - 5 PM
  • Canada has $10/day childcare! And parental leave!
  • The days are long but the years are short


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⛔️ Here's what I won't be doing in 2025 and ongoing:


  • Sponsoring your event or buying an attendee package so I can speak at it
  • Giving away my IP for free
  • Relocating for that remote role
  • Arriving to the evening event until the parental handover happens
  • Exposing another human unless it's an emergency, thanks 
  • Making excuses for bringing along a kid, when you have participants mobiles going off in the audience
  • Rolling in during those office hours, school here doesn't start until 8:30 AM, ends at 2:55 PM
  • Accessing universal childcare at that rate, right now it's around $22/day in Ottawa and we've been on a waitlist since 2022, with the two older kids on an aftercare waitlist since 2024...on the parental leave front as a freelancer I didn't qualify for 2/3 of them
  • Nodding in agreement (yet), until everyone is sleeping through the night!


How about you? Any to add?


I did attempt an IRL after school hours event last week as part of the Generalist World International Day, where I showed up late and left early but was able to connect with interesting folks who also have squiggle careers (many of them working remote, contracting or switching up industries).


As someone recovering from injuries, I'm learning how to be kinder to my amygdala.


Going to a networking event shouldn't feel like being chased by a lion. Especially when you're someone who's used to going on stages with a baby and at times, your toddler. But the body really does keep the score.


Turns out life is giving me lots of opportunities to walk the talk and practice my rituals, resources and tools in real time.


Here's a little nature walk and nervous system reset I filmed and a reminder for you to build in things which restore your energy...ideally before your body forces you to rest. 🌿✨


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The past two years have forced me to revisit the ways in which I work, parent and live, reevaluating my priorities, goals, systems and processes in a new light.


Some I paused. Others I released. A few I know I need to let go soon. The remainder will be adapted.


Perhaps, you can relate or are going through your own version of change?


On that note, I'm back in your inbox this month after a bout of summer flus in our house and an August partially without camps or childcare. Last week was catch up, with school, health and hockey season practice schedules rolling into our family inbox.


📝The below isn't to add pressure, urgency or otherwise but I know based on feedback when I share what's going on behind-the-scenes for my family and work, people get inspired to take imperfect action, attempt something new or give themselves that permission slip they've been waiting on.


This month looks like:


  • Hosting two online workshops (next Tuesday 9th and Monday 15th) join us if you're a parent interested in real-life mixing babies and business examples, practical strategies and kid-friendly approaches to contract, employee and client-facing flexible work roles 🚼📊


  • Doing MORE medical appointments I didn't ask for but nonetheless will be showing up at and participating in 🩺


  • Creating a new online session focused on accessible memberships, from the perspective of designing inclusive and compassionate digital experiences for parents and people living with invisible disability for the Memberships What's Working Now Summit in October 2025 💻


  • Partnering with another university program in Boston to keep growing this social impact movement, digital products and resources to reach parents globally, so far in 2025 I've been able to work with three students based in Toronto and Hamilton, Canada and London, England via the Riipen Network 🔬


  • Attempting to attend an after school open house from 4:30-5:30 PM as a family of five, before heading to a hockey practice...join me as I say 'too many transitions, please send good thoughts' 🏒


  • Developing digital trainings and exploring programming options with fellow remote-first organizations focused on upskilling individuals in Europe and Southeast Asia 🌏


  • Editing my four final interviews for Season 6 of the Mixing Babies And Business Podcast, to release over the coming weeks into the end of 2025 🎙️



If you feel like writing me back with what you're working on or how you're adapting to your current season of parenthood, I love to hear updates and will respond as I'm able to. Enjoy the rest of your weekend!


– Amy (+ Family)

Founder + Podcast Host, Mixing Babies And Business™


P.S. Keep showing up, as and when you can. It all matters.

P.P.S. Parent-friendly roundup of business news, events and opportunities will be sent the last weekend of September 27/28th


More from Mixing Babies And Business™:



**Thanks for reading, reply if you have feedback or questions about the above! I aim to respond within 72 hours Tuesday–Friday**


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