AOP: We are so excited to have you as our Mom 2 Mom feature for June. Tell us about your family!
BH: My husband Lee and I met in college at Auburn University. I moved away after graduation and then agreed to move back to Auburn after we were engaged. We married in 2012 and have been blessed to build a life here in Auburn-Opelika.
Our boys are currently six, four, and two years old: Cecil, Conrad, and Finch.
I am the Director of Marketing for a residential management company, Foshee Residential. I work 99% remotely from home. My husband, Lee Harris, is the owner and broker of Coldwell Banker Alliance.
AOP: How do you manage and balance working from home while having the younger boys there?
BH: It’s different for every family and every mom, but working from home is a gift for me. A nanny/babysitter can be with me four days a week. She has a consistent schedule, so I plan meetings or projects during that time when I can have several hours of uninterrupted time. I am a morning person, so I often work very early before the kids are up. I try not to schedule meetings from 3- 5 p.m. because that is when all the boys are home, and it’s just chaos. I’m still working during that time, but it’s easily interrupted, and I’m juggling dinner, emails, etc.
When I agreed to take a full-time work-from-home position, my husband and I made some significant changes around responsibilities with the kids and the house. When I was home and self-employed 100% of the time, I didn’t mind carrying the load of cooking/cleaning/kids, but I knew I would burn out quickly and be resentful if we didn’t make some changes. Being present with the children is essential to me, so I don’t want to constantly be loading the dishwasher or answering an email even though I’m “home.” Also, my husband and I think it’s important for our children to see both parents participating, whether cleaning, homework, or grocery shopping.
AOP: As a mom of three boys under six, how do you handle feeling overwhelmed or stressed as a mother?
BH: Having a partner I can trust to take over when I need a break helps. Also, I do better when I’m getting my time to run or do yoga and, of course, lots of coffee (and wine)!
AOP: How do you prioritize your needs while being a wife and mother?
BH: I’m not good at it, honestly. Running and yoga are my two constants. I get up early during the week to either work or do yoga, and I typically go for long runs on Saturday and Sunday mornings while Lee stays home with the boys.
AOP: With summer here, do you have any special trips or activities planned for the family?
BH: Beach time and family time. Our families don’t live here, so we’ll spend some time seeing everyone this summer while school is out. We all love the beach, so we’re always jumping at the chance to get our feet in the sand.
AOP: What is the most important lesson you have learned so far as a mother?
BH: Every mother and child are different, and that is more than okay.
AOP: Knowing what you know now, what is one piece of advice you would give your younger self?
BH: Try to relax. Easier said than done. I was so stressed about every single thing when we had our first baby. Postpartum anxiety/depression didn’t help. Having the second and third child was crazy because there were more kids, but the baby stuff seemed more manageable because I knew it was just a season.
Brooke Harris and her husband, Lee, have been married for 11 years. Together they have three boys under the age of six. Brooke enjoyed cooking, which is excellent in this season because they are feeding, what seems like, bottomless pits.