"Work Like You Don't Have a Child. Parent Like You Don't Have a Job." The ABG Community at the Crux of the Impossible
Parenting during the pandemic.
That’s the topic of Monday’s webinar, where members of the ABG Community will talk about doing the (nearly) impossible day after day, for months on end.
As in, listening with one ear bud to a work meeting via Zoom while you help your first-grader practice writing the letter Q while you prepare a semi-nutritious lunch while your mind is also in planning mode for the next major angst-ridden crisis to hit the industry (EU tariffs, anyone?).
Welcome to parenting, the 2020 version. It’s time to talk about it. That is exactly what we’ll do on Monday and we hope very much you’ll join us.
Whether or not you yourself are a parent, you undoubtedly know someone who is. Monday’s webinar is for you too, to gain some insights of this aspect of the pandemic reality for friends and colleagues.
Five valued members of the ABG community will be sharing some thoughts on their experience these last eight months when balancing work and family life, hard enough already, condensed and compounded into what may be the toughest nut of a challenge yet.
We want to be clear that no one will be suggesting during the webinar they have solutions or a panacea for parenting during a pandemic.
There is no sense of, “Do this and your life will be better.” It’s more, “I’m in the middle of this sh*t show too. This is my situation, and here’s how I’m handling it.”
We’re hopeful that you’ll see some shared commonality with your experience, and that some of the circumstances will resonate with yours.
The point is to create space for more commiserating, not to offer any directives.
There will be more sharing of information, and less polemic.
More putting things on the table, and less sweeping things under the rug.
Here’s a preview of some of the themes in play:
How to be present with our families, when preoccupation with work’s anxieties is so prevalent.
How to be present with our co-workers, when preoccupation with our family’s health is so concerning.
Recalibrating expectations of “work like you don’t have a child, and parent like you don’t have a job.”
Single parenting without a support network nearby.
Managing grief for yourself, and for your children and family.
Sharing child custody during the pandemic.
Managing virtual schooling when it’s totally contrary to your child’s learning style and social personality.
Organizing a “school pod” for your family and co-workers’ families.
The psychological toll that the current circumstances are exacting.
The looming or current mental health crisis as a result.
The use of alcohol as a sedative or coping mechanism.
We aren’t saying this conversation will be easy. We are saying it will be real.
The last thing I’d like to say is pretty much the first thing.
We can’t not talk about it – this impossible challenge and tension that so many of us in the ABG community are experiencing, that is.
We’re right there with you, and we’d like to create a space of support for this community.
Please join us and add your support too. It will help.
Namaste,
Cathy
What We're Reading:
Here's what has piqued our interest this week in the world of wine and mindfulness.
We Need to Rethink Anxiety - 3 Actions to Take – Max Strom for Mindful Leader.org
To say you have an anxiety disorder is like saying you have a pain disorder after you break your leg. Meditation and breathwork leader, Max Strom asserts how anxiety is a symptom of another issue, as is depression, in many cases.
What Does Getting Sober Look Like in 2020? – InStyle.com
It's true that people are drinking way more during the pandemic, but for many millennial women, this year has been the perfect opportunity to reexamine their relationship with alcohol.
Amelia Singer: Diversity & Inclusion – what are we going to do about it? – Amelia Singer for The Buyer.net
Amelia Singer, wine educator and co-presenter of The Wine Show, examines some of the flaws lying at the heart of the drinks industry that have led to increasing calls for decisive action to be taken to improve both diversity and inclusion in the sector.
The Future of Somm Culture – LM Archer for Meininger Wine Business International
Award-winning sommelier André Hueston Mack gives L.M. Archer his thoughts about the evolution of hospitality post-Covid-19.
Some Glimmers of Hope for Inclusion begin to emerge in the wine industry – Dorothy Gaiter and John Brecher for Grape Collective.com
Dorothy and John consider the small flickering lights of hope for improving diversity and inclusion in the wine industry.
This Week's Reminder:
Keep these short meditations and inspirations bookmarked for when you need them.
Meditate Together - FREE online daily meditation - MindfulLeader.org
Free Online Group Meditation, on the hour, 24 hours/day, 5 days/week. Supported by 100+ volunteers worldwide.
Meet the Community!
Here we meet some of the talented folks who make our community and profession so dynamic.
Mark Davidson, Head of Education Development - North America, Wine Australia (Iowa, USA)
Years in the industry:
I started working Saturdays doing roll-ups at Pancakes on the Rocks restaurant in Sydney in 1975 so I guess that is 45 years! Damn! I am old!
I went through Hotel and Catering Management college from 1979 to 1981 in Sydney. Started in kitchens initially then moved to front of house. Traveled a lot from 1983 to 1985 then moved to Canada. Took a wine appreciation course in 1986 and that changed my direction. Decided that wine is where I wanted to be and pursued a career as a sommelier.
Back then sommelier was an unknown word never mind profession. I started a wine school in Vancouver BC and ran it while managing wine programs in a couple of different restaurants. I was approached by Wine Australia in 2009 and while I have had a few different roles, working domestically and with the global team, I am now Head of Education Development for North America.
My Biggest Challenge to Wellness:
Pre-COVID the demands of travel were always a challenge. Irregular schedule and eating habits, interrupted sleep patterns and finding the time for regular exercise and fitness.
I have an amazing wife who also travelled for work but we always manage to be patient and understanding with one another. Frankly, just finding time to do things that remove me from daily stresses was the most challenging element.
COVID has presented different challenges. No travel but the mental gymnastics required to navigate the current situation are not without stress. The uncertainty is hard. Watching all my hospitality friends and colleagues struggle has been torturous to say the least.
How I Keep It Together to Stay Well:
Trying to remain positive. Being appreciative of what I do have rather than want I don’t. The recent situation has brought our family closer together which is a source of comfort.
I have always been someone that needs a sport or activity that keeps me in the moment. That idea that while you are doing this activity or thing, nothing else is in focus. Something to calm an over-active mind. When I was younger it was surfing. Now it is fly fishing. Strolling waist deep in a cold, spring fed creek has literally kept me sane during the last nine months. I don’t even care if I’m not catching fish, the sound of the moving water soothes my soul.
I also have a ritual of making tea for my wife in the morning. We drink it in bed and discuss the day. It is my favourite part of the day. Exercise is critical to being mentally well. I turn into a baby orangutan if I don’t regularly go to the gym, go running or play tennis….or something.
You can connect with Mark on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.
Let's Get Connected!
Sharing Events from our Global ABG Community.
Monday November 16, 1pm PDT | 4pm EDT
Parenting During A Pandemic : An ABG Webinar
The COVID-19 pandemic is an impossibly difficult time and yet we need to make parenting possible, along with so much else. Join us for a conversation hosted by A Balanced Glass, featuring members of our community with stories to share from the parenting front lines.
Thursday December 3rd, 10am - 2pm PST | 1pm - 5pm EST
Be The Change Virtual Job Fair
Be The Change is the first wine industry virtual job fair focused on Diversity and Inclusion. Brazen’s cutting edge virtual platform extends the opportunity for job-seekers to connect and engage in real-time with employers looking to recruit and hire diverse talent.
Have an event that our ABG community would love? Email to events@abalancedglass.com for consideration.
Join the Community.
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