My 3 Hats

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We all wear various hats. These hats define our task at hand. It may be a work hat or a home hat. With that hat comes the responsibilities underneath it. At any moment, our hats change, rising in priority according to the time of day or issue at hand. There might even be hats within those hats that determine our immediate role or responsibility. We all have hats.

My hats are no different than any other, but I feel compelled to write about them since I’ve been thinking quite a bit about my hats and when and how I wear them. My hats define who I am, bringing different perspectives into what I do. This is not ground-breaking material. Just the reflective story of my three hats.

I am a mom of 3 boys, a hat I wear proudly.  I wear this hat 24/7/365. It never comes off. They are all boy, involved in sports and other activities, keeping them busy. When we are not at practices or games, my boys play, rough-house, and fight like brothers. Sometimes my mom hat is more of a referee hat, but it is one of those roles within the mom hat.

The best part of being a mom is watching them grow and learn on a daily basis. There is no replacement for the look that comes my way during t-ball practice after a great hit. Or the smile that comes after a music program showing the pride that comes from accomplishment. Or the question that spurs a conversation about our favorite team. Or the hug of reassurement that finds its way into my arms after a tough day.

Being a mom is awesome. It is not all giggles and smiles, as there are tough conversations and learning that comes with being a parent. Our fun family adventures never cease to bore!

Another hat I wear daily is the hat of being a wife. My husband is my best friend. He is my sounding board, someone I have fun with, can be serious with, and who shares similar passions as me. We have been married for nearly 17 years, and each day is still an adventure. While we can easily get on each other’s nerves, we know when to walk away and leave the other alone. We know when to help one another. I am here for him, just as he is here for me. We make a great team. We each have to make sacrifices at particular times, and that is what our good marriage understands and respects.

He is a high school principal and is often gone to events. His days are long, and so that leaves my mom and wife hat on at the same times many days. I love my family. I wouldn’t have it any other way.

My other hat is one I wear proudly as well, and that is of an educator/principal/lead learner. My daily quest is full of opportunity, different tasks and activities. Let’s just say, it is never dull, as I never know what the day will bring my way! I humbled by the responsibility on my shoulders, but also fully believe in those around me, the leadership of those around me as we have an awesome task at hand - educating the next generation.

This hat too stays on, or close by 24/7/365. I never know when duty may call. It is at 5:30 in the morning finding a sub for a sick teacher. It is at 9:30 at night responding to a parent email. It is on the weekend, reading a leadership book or working on tasks for the next week. It is during the summer, attending a conference to learn in order to share with others. This hat has multiple hats within it, from learner, leader, disciplinarian, coach, counselor. But all reside under this one hat.

All of my hats are never set aside. One may sit on top of the other at various times in the day, but they are always both there.

I once had someone ask me, “How do you balance it all?” I really am not sure how to answer that, other than, “I just do.” I don’t think of anything I do as a balance, however. Balance doesn’t exist in these three hats. Does that make me a bad mom, wife, or principal?

We often compare ourselves with others in our abilities. But each one of us is dealing with the cards we are dealt and create the best we can from them. I have battled with this for a while. How do others do it? Am I doing anything wrong? Am I giving all the people in my life what they need from me, or am I burning myself out?

It probably is not fair to my boys to take that phone call from a teacher during our dinner time. But it also would not be right for me to ignore my staff either. It is what it is, and how we handle those circumstances determines how well we wear and juggle those hats we take on in our lives.

I love my three hats. Each day is an adventure. I believe my three hats make me who I am, give me the perspective I have in order to be the person I am within those hats. Are these hats easy? NO. But they are definitely worth every moment I can give.