Women of Polk Women of Polk Sept 2011 : Page 2

S2 C < ; > I F L G JL E ;8 P # J <G K < D 9 <I BERNEY WILKINSON [iY\ie\p7k_\d\ekXcYi\Xb[fne%Zfd Strategies For Single, Working Mothers ver the past few decades, WKHUHKDVEHHQDVLJQLÀ FDQW increase in the number of single, working mothers. According to some estimates nearly a quarter of U.S. children are raised by single parents, more than 80 percent of which are mothers. This FRQVWLWXWHVDVLJQLÀ FDQWSRUWLRQRIRXU population. Single mothers are tasked with the challenge of working full time, main-taining their home, and, oh yeah, raising healthy and well-adjusted children. While often met with criti-cism, single mothers must be given kudos for the great job they are do-ing. They tirelessly get their children up for school, prepare them for their day, go to work, return home to help ZLWKKRPHZRUN&#0f;À [GLQQHU&#0f;JHWWKH children ready for bed, and hopefully get a little sleep themselves before VWDUWLQJDOORYHUDJDLQWKHQH[WGD\ There are no awards, overtime pay or acknowledgments for their work. They do it for their children. Unfortunately, many single moth-ers become overwhelmed, tired and IUXVWUDWHG7KH\KDYHGLIÀ FXOW\PDLQ
 taining the day in and day out of their responsibilities. To help, here are a few strategies single mothers can use to deal with their daily struggles and make sure they can maintain WKHKLJKH[SHFWDWLRQVWKH\KROGIRU themselves. 5HVSLWH6LQJOHPRWKHUVPXVWÀ QG time for themselves. Daily challenges quickly lead to being overwhelmed and frustrated. A few hours of respite each week will help recharge their emotional batteries and make them UHDG\IRUWKHQH[WGD\ /HDUQWRVD\QR$OWKRXJKLW seems to be somewhat against their nature, single mothers must learn to say “no.” Single mothers are con-stantly at risk for taking on too many things. Working overtime, having their kids in multiple after-school activities at one time, and taking on additional responsibilities from other family members are just a few factors that can easily overwhelm a single PRWKHU7KH\VKRXOGOLPLWWKHVH´H[
 tras” to avoid such problems. 6WUXFWXUH6XFFHVVIXOVLQJOH mothers keep life simple and main-tain a structured, routine home. Structure reduces stress by keeping life consistent. If there is a healthy GDLO\URXWLQH&#0f;VXUSULVHVDQGXQH[
 pected issues are avoided. When XQH[SHFWHGLVVXHVDUHDYRLGHG&#0f; KRPHOLIHLVPXFKPRUHUHOD[HGDQG enjoyable. 6WD\FRQVLVWHQW6LPLODUWRVWUXF
 WXUH&#0f;FRQVLVWHQF\UHGXFHVGLIÀ FXOW decisions. While having a consistent daily schedule may sound boring, most single mothers love a little “bor-ing” every now and then. In this con-WH[W&#0f;KRZHYHU&#0f;FRQVLVWHQF\DOVRPHDQV avoiding unnecessary major life decisions. I am sure there are plenty of “have-to’s” to worry about; so if it is not necessary, don’t stress about it. $VNIRUKHOS6LQJOHPRWKHUVKDYH to be willing to ask for help. Whether it is asking a family member for a little respite or using the local Boys and Girls Club, single mothers need support from others. While this is not to suggest they cannot do it on their own, using the support avail-able helps ensure they will have the stamina to raise healthy children and adolescents. Single mothers face challenges that most would consider overwhelming. They are singlehandedly raising a sig-QLÀ FDQWSURSRUWLRQRIRXUQDWLRQ·VFKLO
 dren. While there is always the risk for EHFRPLQJRYHUZKHOPHG&#0f;H[HUFLVLQJD few strategies will help them continue to do their best. Hats off to you, single moms. Keep up the good work! L O /$.(/$1' ourdes Vasquez clearly loves her profession – and it’s a good thing, since she’s been at it for 26 years. The Christian Dior Parfums ac-FRXQWH[HFXWLYHIRU)ORULGD·VZHVW coast ranked eighth in the nation in sales last year, even though she’s not the one who revealed this fact. “That’s my sister, bragging again,” she laughed. She earned DWULSWR)UDQFHZLWKWKHWRS VDOHVH[HFXWLYHVDQGKDGWKHWLPH of her life. 9DVTXH]&#0f;&#0f;SXWLQWKHWLPHWR earn that ranking. She puts about &#0f;PLOHVD\HDURQKHUYHKLFOH as she scours the state peddling the Dior cosmetic line. One of her methods for success is to surround herself with motivated people. “I strongly feel that to be suc-cessful in any job you have to have the right people in the right posi-tions,” she said. The good fortune of working in a À HOGVKHORYHVFDPHWR9DVTXH]LQ a bit of a roundabout way. She was attending college when her sister, 7HUHVD0DUWLQH]&#0f;DVNHGKHUZK\ she hadn’t considered the beauty industry. Vasquez wound up attend-ing cosmetology school as well, al-though she never was a stylist – un-less you count her family members who nag her to do their hair. But she did, obviously, wind up in an industry linked with beauty. A job with another cosmetics com-pany she accepted after her son was born eventually grew into the esteemed position she has now. “In &#1c;&#1c;&#0f;,ZDVUHFUXLWHGE\WKHYLFH president of Dior, and she made me an offer I could not refuse,” Vasquez said. “I joined the best company in the world.” Gender discrimination has nev-er been a problem in her lipstick-and perfume-permeated profes-sion, she said. ´(YHU\FRPSDQ\,KDYHZRUNHG for has given me the opportunity to grow as a professional. I am asked every year if there is an-other area of the company that I would like to advance to.” 1RW RQO\WKDW&#0f;VKHVDLG&#0f;VKH·V KLJKO\VDWLVÀ HG “I can truly say that I enjoy my position so much and there are so many challenges on a daily basis that I am very happy at this po-sition,” said Vasquez, mother of 3HWHU&#0f;&#1c;&#0f;DQG/DXUHQ&#0f; She is, of course, a personality who enjoys being busy. She works RXWRIKHUKRPHRIÀ FHRQHGD\D week when she can, but the rest of the week she’s on the road. “They know me at the oil change place,” she said. “When I’m in the FDU&#0f;,DPRQWKHSKRQH0\FDULV OLNHP\VHFRQGRIÀ FHµ She has a system that works. She checks her emails when she’s home if she can, and makes a list of the people she needs to call. She does that when she’s driving. “Well, that’s on a good day – when I’m organized,” she said. “Usually ,·PÁ \LQJZLWKP\KDLURQÀ UHµ Women, she said, are masters of multi-tasking. “Women bring so much to the workplace, discernment, passion, compassion, ingenuity and when all else fails, common sense,” she said. “I know that from the mo-ment I rise to the minute I fall asleep I am constantly thinking of what needs to be done today and how will I work one move to facilitate the other. “This comes from juggling a KRPH&#0f;IDPLO\&#0f;À QDQFHVDQGZRUN ,WUXO\IHHOWKDWZRPHQ&$1KDYH it all, even though sometimes one area of your life will, for a bit, have to suffer. It makes you a more rounded individual.” [ DXipKffk_dXeZXeY\i\XZ_\[Xk dXip%kffk_dXe7k_\c\[^\i%Zfdfi /-*$/')$.,()% ] LRMC Leader Always Learning, Improving 9P ROBIN WILLIAMS ADAMS sG?FKF9P SCOTT WHEELER sK?<C<;><I [ ;i%9\ie\pN`cb`ejfe`jXc`Z\ej\[ gjpZ_fcf^`jkn_f_XjgiXZk`Z\[`ek_\ N`ek\i?Xm\eXi\X]fi\`^_kp\Xij%?\ `em`k\ji\X[\ijkfjlYd`khl\jk`fej fiZfdd\ekj#n_`Z__\n`cci\jgfe[ kf`e]lkli\Zfcldej%Hl\jk`fej j_flc[Y\jlYd`kk\[kf;i9\ie\p7 k_\d\ekXcYi\Xb[fne%Zfd%8[[`k`feXc Xik`Zc\jXe[`e]fidXk`feZXeY\]fle[Xk nnn%k_\d\ekXcYi\Xb[fne%Zfd% ] /$.(/$1' hen several manage-ment positions came RSHQ DW /DNHODQG 5HJLRQDO 0HGLFDO &HQWHU&#0f;6X]DQQH:DONHU5RXVWLR&#0f; a registered nurse working there, had to make a decision: 6WD\ZLWK KHU H[LVWLQJMRERU PRYHLQWR XQH[SORUHGDUHDVRI hospital management? One of her mentors made it eas-ier for her. ´0\PDQDJHUWDSSHGPHRQWKH shoulder and said ‘You are going WRDSSO\&#0f; DUHQ·W\RX"·µ 5RXVWLR recalls. That type of support, she says, is a big help for women hoping to advance in nursing or many other À HOGV6KHHQFRXUDJHVZRPHQWR seek mentors and to become men-tors for their co-workers. She did apply for a higher-level MREDW/50&DQGEHFDPHPDQDJHU of the medical-surgical units on WKH IRXUWK Á RRU&#0f; ODWHU FKDQJLQJ W to her current job as manager of /50&·VWUDXPDXQLW “I’ve been able to watch the lead-ership within the organization and get mentored from them and do the same with my staff,” she says. 5RXVWLR&#0f;&#0f;MRLQHG /50&LQ &#1c;&#1c;DVDQXUVHLQWHUQ6KHJUDGX
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 gram at Polk State College, then called Polk Community College, and became a registered nurse. ,Q&#1a;\HDUVDW/50&&#0f;VKH·VFRQ
 WLQXHGKHUHGXFDWLRQDQGH[SORUHG different areas within its nursing administration. She earned a bachelor’s degree in nursing from the University of South Florida and, last year, a master’s degree in nursing from the University of Central Florida. Being a nurse became a calling for her, she says, because it let her take care of people and help them recover. And, she adds, nursing offers a variety of settings in which to work and opportunities for ad-vancement. Her nursing has been done in the hospital, but there are GRFWRUV·RIÀ FHV&#0f;KRPHKHDOWK&#0f;KRV
 pice, schools and other choices. “The sky is the limit in nursing if you have the right work ethic,” VD\V5RXVWLR&#0f;ZKREHFDPHDQXUVH while in her 30s. “You have to work with your A-game on every day. You work hard DQGGRZKDW·VH[SHFWHGµ Although she spends far less time at the bedside now, she said management has its own rewards, among them “watching your staff JURZDQGVHHLQJWKHLUH[FLWHPHQW and their passion for taking care of patients.” 5RXVWLR&#0f;ZKRKDGHDUQHGEXVL
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 grees from Polk Community in &#1c;&#1b;&#0f;VSHQWVHYHUDO\HDUVUDLVLQJ children and running a small day care. She felt a strong desire to move into nursing after that. Her husband, Shane, and their children – Sean, Spencer and She-laine – supported her throughout her educational and career moves ZLWKLQ/50&&#0f;VKHVDLG One of the three followed her career path. Sean, the oldest, is a registered nurse who is training WREHDFHUWLÀ HGUHJLVWHUHGQXUVH anesthetist. 5RXVWLR UHFHQWO\ ZDV QDPHG /50&·VFXUUHQWPDQDJHURIWKH quarter. “I greatly treasure Suzanne’s leadership in so many ways,” said Carrie Ogilvie, her boss, who is di-rector of critical care and trauma services. “She is constantly seek-ing feedback.” 6KH VDLG 5RXVWLR RIWHQ DVNV “What did I do well? What can I improve upon?” [ IfY`eN`cc`Xdj8[XdjZXeY\ i\XZ_\[XkifY`e%X[Xdj7k_\c\[^\i% Zfdfi/-*$/')$.,,/%I\X[_\iYcf^ XkifY`ejio%Ycf^j%k_\c\[^\i%Zfd% =fccfnfeKn`kk\iXkc\[^\iIF9@E% ] Credits WP women IN P O L K Editor: A\ee`]\i8l[\kk\#a\ee`]\i%Xl[\kk\7k_\c\[^\i%Zfds Copy Editor: 9XiYJkl\n\s Contributors: IfY`eN`cc`Xdj8[Xdj# A\ee`]\i=`Zbc\p9Xb\i#J_Xeefe9l\kkfn#D\i`jjX>i\\e#<cm`XDXcX^fe#@c\XeXDfiXc\j#Jlq`\JZ_fkk\cbfkk\#DXipKffk_dXe# M`Zb`\M\c\q#AXZhl\c`e\N_`kdfi\#9\ie\pN`cb`ejfes Photographers 1I`ZbIle`fe#JZfkkN_\\c\i#D`Z_X\cN`cjfe ;<J@>E9P STEVE ANTLEY =FIK?<C<;><I

Strategies For Single, Working Mothers

Berney Wilkinson

Over the past few decades, there has been a significant increase in the number of single, working mothers. According to some estimates nearly a quarter of U.S. children are raised by single parents, more than 80 percent of which are mothers. This constitutes a significant portion of our population. Single mothers are tasked with the challenge of working full time, maintaining their home, and, oh yeah, raising healthy and well-adjusted children. While often met with criticism, single mothers must be given kudos for the great job they are doing. They tirelessly get their children up for school, prepare them for their day, go to work, return home to help with homework, fix dinner,get the children ready for bed, and hopefully get a little sleep themselves before Starting all over again the next day. There are no awards, overtime pay or acknowledgments for their work. They do it for their children. Unfortunately, many single mothers become overwhelmed, tired and Frustrated. They have difficulty main taining the day in and day out of their responsibilities. To help, here are a few strategies single mothers can use to deal with their daily struggles and make sure they can maintain the high expectations they hold for themselves. .Respite.single mothers must find time for themselves. Daily challenges quickly lead to being overwhelmed and frustrated. A few hours of respite each week will help recharge their emotional batteries and make them Ready for the next day. .Learn to say no.although it seems to be somewhat against their nature, single mothers must learn to say "no." Single mothers are constantly at risk for taking on too many things. Working overtime, having their kids in multiple after-school activities at one time, and taking on additional responsibilities from other family members are just a few factors that can easily overwhelm a single Mother.They should limit these "extras"to avoid such problems. .Structure. Successful single mothers keep life simple and maintain a structured, routine home. Structure reduces stress by keeping life consistent. If there is a healthy daily routine, surprises and unexpected pected issues are avoided. When unexpected issues are avoided, Home life is much more relaxed and enjoyable. Enjoyable. . Stay consistent.similar to structure,consistency reduces difficult decisions. While having a consistent daily schedule may sound boring, most single mothers love a little "boring" every now and then. In this con- text,however, consistency also means avoiding unnecessary major life decisions. I am sure there are plenty of "have-to's" to worry about; so if it is not necessary, don't stress about it. . Ask for help,single mothers have to be willing to ask for help. Whether it is asking a family member for a little respite or using the local Boys and Girls Club, single mothers need support from others. While this is not to suggest they cannot do it on their own, using the support available helps ensure they will have the stamina to raise healthy children and adolescents. Single mothers face challenges that most would consider overwhelming. They are single handedly raising a significant proportion of our nation's children. While there is always the risk for becoming overwhelmed,exercising a few strategies will help them continue to do their best. Hats off to you, single moms. Keep up the good work!

Dior Saleswoman A Source Of Energy

Mary Toothman

Lakeland Lourdes Vasquez clearly loves her profession – and it’s a good thing, since she’s been at it for 26 years. The Christian Dior Parfums ac- agin, jaughed,she eraned coast ranked eighth in the nation in sales last year, even though she’s not the one who revealed this fact. “That’s my sister, bragging again,” she laughed. She earned a trip to france with the top 10 sales executives and had the time of her life. Vasquez,51,put in the time to earn that ranking. She puts about 55,000 miles a year on hervehicle as she scours the state peddling the Dior cosmetic line. One of her methods for success is to surround herself with motivated people. “I strongly feel that to be successful in any job you have to have the right people in the right positions,” she said. The good fortune of working in a field she loves come to vasquez in a bit of a roundabout way. She was attending college when her sister, teresa martinez asked her why she hadn’t considered the beauty industry. Vasquez wound up attending cosmetology school as well, although she never was a stylist – unless you count her family members who nag her to do their hair. But she did, obviously, wind up in an industry linked with beauty. A job with another cosmetics company she accepted after her son was born eventually grew into the esteemed position she has now. “In 1996, I was recruited by the vice president of Dior, and she made me an offer I could not refuse,” Vasquez said. “I joined the best company in the world.” Gender discrimination has never been a problem in her lipstickand perfume-permeated profession, she said. " Every company I have workedFor has given me the opportunity to grow as a professional. I am asked every year if there is another area of the company that I would like to advance to.” Not only that,she said,she highty saisfied. “I can truly say that I enjoy my position so much and there are so many challenges on a daily basis that I am very happy at this position,” said Vasquez, mother of . She is, of course, a personality who enjoys being busy. She works out of her home office one day a week when she can, but the rest of the week she’s on the road. “They know me at the oil change place,” she said. “When I’m in the car, I am on the people.My car She has a system that works. She checks her emails when she’s home if she can, and makes a list of the people she needs to call. She does that when she’s driving. “Well, that’s on a good day – when I’m organized,” she said. “Usually The week she's on the road. Women, she said, are masters of multi-tasking. “Women bring so much to the workplace, discernment, passion, compassion, ingenuity and when all else fails, common sense,” she said. “I know that from the moment I rise to the minute I fall asleep I am constantly thinking of what needs to be done today and how will I work one move to facilitate the other. “This comes from juggling a Home, family, finances and work. it all, even though sometimes one area of your life will, for a bit, have to suffer. It makes you a more rounded individual.”

LRMC Leader Always Learning, Improving

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