Post Page Advertisement [Top]

Yoslanie and Juan José: “Parenthood has bound us together as colleagues and friends”

“Challenging and creative” are the two words that first come to mind to Yoslanie when she describes the process of harmonising work and parenthood. She and Juan José have two toddlers, Julieta (3) and Juan Ignacio (1 ½).

Yoslanie and Juan José tell us that two of the most valuable lessons they have learned since entering the world of parenthood are “mastering multitasking and establishing priorities”. “Every time one of us has something especially important to do at work that might affect our family routine, we sit down and discuss priorities. Fortunately, we know each other very well, and as coworkers, we always agree on what works best for the entire family.


Yoslanie admits that parenting has brought enormous changes to their lives, but “fortunately, the company has been tremendously flexible and we’ve been able to adapt to our new family routine.”

Just as some other double parents pointed out in previous posts, she says that sharing time and experiences with other first-time parents inside the company has been very rewarding. “We have shared anecdotes and unending memories about our children. This has bound us together and enriched our daily routines at work.”

For Smartmatic, the smartbaby-boom brought some unexpected positive results among employees. In the case of Yoslanie, she notes how open and warm other parents were to them when they announced their pregnancy.

“We felt the empathy of many colleagues right away. Because we were a bit lost in the complex world of parenthood and we were just moving to another country with the company, our coworkers became our family. Those who were already parents gave us world advices and offered invaluable help. Nowadays, we share ideas, recommendations and tips. The best part is that these days, we are not longer limiting our conversations to work. We now have a shared favourite topic: our kids and parenting; and it could not be better!”


In spite of the time and effort they put into their careers and all the dedication that parenting requires, Yoslanie and Juan José have kept their love for dancing intact. “One anecdote we cherish, is how a few years ago we planned to go to Smartmatic’s Christmas Party. We love those parties! But with two kids we have to get really serious about finding someone to look after them or as a last resource, bringing them alone. Yes, we have actually done that! Two years ago we took Julieta to the party, and when we got there, we realised that she was the only baby. Luckily, she behaved wonderfully, and even had the chance to hit the dance floor while she was napping in her pram next to us.
The following year, we were 8 months pregnant with Juan Ignacio, and once again, we didn’t want to miss the party, so we decided to find someone to babysit Julieta. Coincidentally, Julieta’s godfather –who also works in the company- said he didn’t feel like partying so he offered staying to take care of our daughter. We will never know if he really didn’t feel like going or if we looked just too desperate. However the case,  to this day we are grateful he ‘sacrificed’ himself for our family. Yet, we did go with Juan Ignacio (but still in the belly…)”

No comments:

Bottom Ad [Post Page]