Working Mother of the Year gives her tips for having it all
Whether you're a working mom or a stay-at-home mom, it's never easy to juggle it all.
But for suburban resident Kim Gieser, district manager for Lego Brand Retail, it's all about prioritizing and “making it work.”
Recently in New York City, Gieser, a Carol Stream resident, was honored as a 2015 Working Mother of the Year by Working Mother magazine, a publication which serves as mentor, role model and advocate of the country's more than 17 million moms who are devoted to their families and their careers.
“Work-life balance is a very personal choice,” says Gieser, 50, the mother of one who travels almost every week throughout the northcentral United States and Canada managing retail stores for Lego Brand Retail, a position she had held for the last four years. She previously served 23 years as district manager for Payless Shoe Source.
“I try to prioritize what is most important to me and work around it, learning long ago to enter family commitments and other ‘can't miss' dates into my calendar first,” says the honoree who concedes that being a full-time working mom occasionally can lead to feelings of guilt and stress when attention gets divided between work and the family.
The challenge for all families, experts say, seems to be focusing on a plan, getting organized and forging a balance between profession and parenthood.
Gieser faces multiple work-life balance challenges and is first to credit her employer and most especially, her husband, Rick, who works as public relations director for Zanies Comedy Clubs and as a producer at WGN Radio.
“Rick's mantra is, ‘We'll make it work,' ” states Gieser, who recalls opening new Lego stores two years in a row, with grand openings precluding her from being at home on Mother's Day. “Sometimes you simply can't make it all work and you can't beat yourself up.”
Flexibility and creativity are key, according to Gieser, who says Mother's Day doesn't have to be THAT Sunday.
“One of those Mother's Days, my husband and son showed up at our new Lego store in Milwaukee, ready to lend a hand and work,” recalls Gieser, who says it really does take a village to make things work.
She says no amount of planning, detail management or outside help can completely eliminate occasional conflicts between work and home, but reducing the number of conflicts is possible.
Balancing work-life commitments is a priority at Lego, according to Gieser, who says she has developed a system which allows her to juggle work, travel and family events — even making time for the family's beloved Chicago Blackhawks games.
At work she is a member of the Global Works Council, an important forum for discussing employee challenges and unique ways to accommodate individual situations. She also serves in a mentorship capacity both within her organization and her West suburban community.
“I worked full-time while Ricky was little and Rick took on part-time work to be home with our son,” explains Gieser, who notes her in-laws, Dick and Marianne Gieser, who live nearby, were always happy to baby-sit when needed.
She and her husband, who met while attending Indiana University, agree that attending son Ricky's, 16, big events — he is active in theater — are nonnegotiable.
“He's currently rehearsing for his role as the mayor in a Wego Drama production of ‘Inherit The Wind' Nov. 19-21 at Community High School in West Chicago,” explains Gieser, who notes her son and his theater peers are looking forward to representing the U.S. at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival next summer in Scotland. “I definitely make it to every play he is in. Together we also enjoy watching silly comedies, vacationing at Disney World and annually putting together costumes for ComicCon.”
Gieser says she bursts with joy when seeing her son perform on stage, but also treasures having him help with volunteer events, scheduling mom-son dinner dates and, when he was younger, attending Little League baseball games.
The spirit of community and volunteerism runs deep within her family. She devotes countless hours as chairwoman of the annual Carol Stream Fourth of July parade committee, is a volunteer for the community's Christmas Sharing program and a former Junior Achievement volunteer at Evergreen Elementary School. In 2008 she was recognized for her volunteerism and named Carol Stream's Citizen of the Year.
Husband, Rick, serves as a Carol Stream trustee, is active with the Fourth of July parade and Carol Stream Historical Society activities and also is a former Carol Stream Citizen of the Year.
Son, Ricky, frequently lends a hand with the volunteer commitments and Gieser says she hopes he will follow their example in giving back to the community as an adult.
Her tips for success when it comes to finding the right work-life balance? Gieser says letting go of guilt, creating a family calendar, communicating with your employers, staying connected by text during the day, limiting distractions, creating special family activities, setting boundaries and sharing responsibilities are vital.