From the very first moment of carrying a baby, we begin the process of becoming a mother. Well before the baby is born, we begin our matrescence journey.

"A healthy woman is much like a wolf: robust, chock-full, strong life force, life-giving, territorially aware, inventive, loyal, roving...", Clarissa Pinkola Estés I nher gorgeous book “Women Who Run With The Wolves”.

When I first read this, something familiar in me popped to the surface for a moment. Not just as a woman, but as a mother, a leader, and a coach working with brilliant, and mostly exhausted mums navigating the terrain of matrescence and leadership.

Here’s what I’ve learned (and continue to learn) that I feel so passionate to share with others:

• You can be powerful without pushing.

• You can rest and still rise.

• Saying no can be your most radical act of self-leadership.

Motherhood is a huge transformation. Yet so often in our modern, fast-paced, and performance-driven workplaces, it’s viewed as a detour or a burden rather than the leadership superpower it truly is.

Anyone who has been a parent knows that striving for perfection is a recipe for burnout. From the moment your child is born, you are faced with decisions: breastfeeding or formula, sleep training or co-sleeping, screen time or no screen time, dummy or no dummy, nursery or childminder, and every choice can feel like it’s loaded with expectations ( and judgment, obviously).

What I’ve learned from mothers in leadership and from working in a leadership role myself

Are you finding yourself succeeding in your career, and yet, something feels deeply off? You’re ticking all the boxes, reaching the milestones, sitting at the leadership table… but somewhere, something is quietly (or not so quietly) aching. The best way I can describe it is this ‘off’ feeling. I know it’s not specific but I also know you know.

The shock of caring for a newborn is something few people are truly prepared for. There’s no HR induction, no clear metrics for success, and no breaks. Truly, there are no breaks. Just relentless demand, unpredictability, and a tiny human whose needs obliterate any semblance of routine.

“Tuning in and getting connected is all about how you use the minutes, not the days.”

It’s a powerful reframe, especially for working parents in leadership roles, juggling high-pressure jobs and the emotional load of raising a family.

So many of the parents I coach carry a persistent guilt. Guilt for not being at every school assembly. Guilt for missing bedtime some nights. Guilt for checking work messages while half-watching Bluey.

This Quote About Burnout Changed the Way I Work and Parent.

“Have you ever come down with a terrible cold as soon as you finished a huge project? Have you ended up in the hospital after a prolonged period of extreme stress?”.

I mean…. yes and yes from me…

It’s a familiar story, right?

We push through the presentation, the promotion cycle, the childcare crisis, the sleepless nights. We tell ourselves: Just get to Friday. Just get through this quarter. Just get through this phase. Just… And when we finally cross that invisible finish line we don’t feel victorious. We can’t even enjoy it. We crash. Hard.

Emma Barnett’s powerful statement in her wonderful new book Maternity Service, captures a truth so many women only realise once they step into motherhood:

“At this moment in time, Western women are the least prepared we have ever been for maternity leave and becoming mothers.”

The contradiction is stark. Women today grow up believing they can “have it all”, a thriving career, an equal partnership, and a fulfilling family life. Millennial couples enter parenthood expecting an equal division of labour with their partners. And yet, when maternity leave begins, so many mothers experience the same shocking reality: isolation, exhaustion, and the realisation that our workplaces and societal structures have done little to prepare us for this transition.

How often do you extend the same kindness to yourself that you so freely give to others? As parents in leadership, we are often the first to offer support, encouragement, and understanding to our teams, our children, and our partners. But we tend to be our harshest critics when it comes to ourselves.

We set impossibly high standards. We push through exhaustion. We strive to be present at home while excelling in our careers. And when we fall short of our own expectations, we judge ourselves harshly.

But what if we changed that narrative? What if, instead of waiting for external validation, we chose to show ourselves kindness, right now, in this moment, even if it’s a very hard moment?

"The struggles of today are the stories of triumph tomorrow."

As a working parent coach, I've had the privilege of walking alongside countless leader parents as they navigate the delicate dance between career and family. Parenting challenges for leaders are real, whether it's juggling boardroom meetings with bedtime routines or managing guilt over missed moments.

Eleanor, a senior manager and mother of two, came to me feeling completely overwhelmed. Through parent coaching for mums like Eleanor, we worked on redefining success and setting boundaries. Six months later, she wasn't just surviving burnout—she was thriving in both her leadership role and family life.

Arthur, an executive director and father of three, struggled with stereotypes about leadership parenting. We began by unpacking societal expectations and reframing what it means to be a parent in a leadership role. Today, Arthur is a role model who demonstrates that "being a connected father has made me a better leader, and being a leader has made me a better father."

Clara, a marketing director and mother, was a perfectionist who held herself to impossibly high standards. Working with a parent coach near me helped her embrace imperfection and practice self-compassion, transforming from feeling perpetually inadequate to understanding that "progress, not perfection, is what matters."

If you're ready to overcome your own hurdles and create a life that works for you, connect with a parent coach who specializes in helping parents in leadership roles navigate their unique challenges with confidence and clarity.

Have you ever realised that negotiating with a stubborn toddler has actually improved your boardroom skills? As a working parent coach, I've witnessed countless mums transform their parenting superpowers into exceptional leadership abilities.

The hidden leadership academy called motherhood creates skills that transfer directly to professional settings. During a parent coaching for mums session, Sarah, a marketing director and mother of two, shared: "I used to apologise for having to leave early for school pickup. Now I realise that motherhood has given me skills that my MBA never could!"

Parents in leadership roles often display enhanced emotional intelligence, including empathy, conflict resolution skills, active listening abilities, and intuitive decision-making. These qualities create more productive and engaged teams.

Research shows that leadership parenting creates positive changes in the brain, enhancing multi-tasking abilities, emotional regulation, strategic thinking, and adaptive problem-solving - all essential qualities for effective leaders.

Working with a parent coach near me, leader parents learn to share parenting insights confidently, use maternal wisdom in professional settings, and lead with authenticity. Your maternal instincts aren't a professional liability - they're your leadership superpower!

Ready to overcome common parenting challenges for leaders? As your parent coach, I offer specialised support to help you harness your maternal wisdom and embrace your unique power as a mother leader.

Ever hosted a board meeting with your child's favourite unicorn sticker mysteriously stuck to your forehead? As a parent coach, I've collected enough amusing stories from parents in leadership roles to write a sitcom. Let's laugh together about the beautiful mayhem of being a leader at work and at home.

Through my work as a parent coach near me, I've witnessed CEOs playing peek-a-boo whilst discussing quarterly results and directors doing presentations with superhero capes (courtesy of their kids). The parenting challenges for leaders create comedy gold when worlds collide!

One working parent coach client confessed: "I once added 'Buy Princess Costume' to the company-wide strategic objectives presentation. Surprisingly, three board members volunteered to help!"

Through parent coaching for mums and dads, we've identified brilliant crossovers between leadership skills and parenting. Crisis management at work means handling market volatility, while at home it's managing a toddler's volcanic meltdown. Winner? The toddler situation - at least the market follows some logic!

Ready to embrace the comedy of leadership parenting? Book your free "Chaos to Comedy" session where we'll transform challenges into laughable memories and create strategies that help leader parents thrive in both worlds.

Parenthood and leadership are both demanding, but they don’t have to be in competition. When we approach our relationships with the same intentionality and mindset that we bring to our careers, we create a foundation that not only survives tough times, but thrives because of them. If you're looking for support in balancing your leadership role with parenting, working parent coaching can provide the tools and strategies to help you navigate the journey with confidence

"If you're a parent in a leadership role, chances are you've been chasing the elusive concept of "balance." You wake up early, juggle meetings, manage teams, and still try to be present for your family. But here's the truth: balance is a myth. It doesn't exist, at least not in the way we imagine it.

I often hear from leader parents who feel like they're failing because they can't achieve this so-called perfect equilibrium. The good news? You don't need balance to thrive. What you need is permission to embrace the mess, trust the process, and romanticise the chaos.

Parenting challenges for leaders are unique. You're managing high-pressure roles at work while raising children who depend on you for love, guidance, and support. As a working parent coach, I specialize in helping you navigate these challenges with confidence and clarity.

Through leadership parenting techniques, you can create flexible routines that adapt to your needs while still providing the structure your family requires. As a dedicated parent coach, I've seen how redefining success on your own terms can transform both your professional and personal life.

If you're ready to let go of the pressure to "balance" and start creating a life that works for you, visit our website today to book a session with a parent coach near me. Together, we'll turn the myth of balance into the reality of harmony."

Hybrid work offers leader parents new opportunities, but also new challenges. How can parents in leadership roles balance remote work while staying fully present at home? Through parent coaching for mums, real-life success stories, and proven strategies, this blog explores how leadership parenting can thrive in a hybrid world. Whether you're looking for a working parent coach or practical tips on parenting challenges for leaders, this guide will help you create a balance that works for you and your family.

Ground-breaking studies that Lucy Jones so beautifully captures in her book, have shown that pregnancy leads to structural changes in the brain, particularly in areas related to empathy, emotional regulation, and social cognition. In essence, a mother’s brain rewires itself to attune more closely to the needs of her child.