This week my wife and our oldest son take a couple of days off. We do this every few months. One parent and one of our kids go on a tour. This helps us to find quality time for each kid and is also a great way to get off the treadmill for a few days. Over the years we did many of those trips, like going to Berlin to discover our capital, spending a couple of days at the SPA or watching a soccer game live with 50,000 people at the WorldCup. This week they visit Frankfurt, the city I was born and lived in for many years.

Work-Life-Integration

For the parent that stays at home, those days are fun too as you appreciate your partner even more. This is especially true if you want or need to integrate work and life. I am not sure what is harder: Running a company or maintaining three kids safe, clean and fed. Doing both at the same time is definitely one great way test your limits.

I am lucky to be in a relationship that allows me to have a great family and to do the work that I really like to do. I know, not all of you can or want to have one partner to stay at home. No matter why you do both: I admire you! We sometimes forget what an amazing achievement it is to be a great parent and succeed in your job. I am looking up to all of you that achieve it and have the greatest respect for all of you that try!

The Baby killed the Internet

If you struggle and feel like things are completely out of control sometimes, here is the story of my day: I was just delivering a web session on Sitrion ONE, our awesome mobile platform. Nothing big, just 4-5 slides addressing the use cases, the positioning and a couple success stories. After about 15 minutes I realise that I have no internet. Did I just talked to myself for 15 minutes, did it happen just now? Panic!

It turned out, my youngest son, 19 months old, decided it was time to focus on him and not the business. He somehow found the power switch on the wireless router and turned it off. No worries, my team had me covered but those are the moments you remember. I am sure you have many of those to share. I’d love to hear them!