Arlington, Virginia, mom Elizabeth McKenzie lives the life of the ultimate multitasker. A parent coach and speech pathologist who works in private practice in Northern Virginia, McKenzie also works for Arlington Public Schools. If that wasn’t enough to keep her busy, in January, she and close friend Erin Kurucza launched Backpocket — a series of interactive cards designed to prompt and promote discussions with your child. She and her husband, Evan, share children Caroline (11) and Patrick (7).
How do you, as a parent, balance working multiple jobs with raising kids?
That’s something in my parent coaching work. I talk with parents all the time, and I think where I’ve landed is that I don’t think balance is the goal. When I focus on balance, I end up feeling like I’m doing everything kind of half, like I’m not giving my all to anything. So, where I feel best is when I’m plugging into my kids in kind of microdoses throughout the day. So, when I’m with them, I’m totally locked in. And then when I need to work or get something done, I communicate with them about it … [and] I don’t feel guilty about claiming the time that I need.
How do you approach doing what’s right in the moment for your family?
I mean, it’s ever changing. So, I feel like we have seasons. Right now, I’m in a season of parenting, where I’m just needed a lot more, and so I’m doing more work at night or getting up earlier in the morning to knock some things out. But then I feel like there are other seasons where my kids are pretty solidly in their routine and I feel like I can take the time for work … I feel like I have that perspective of every day might be a little different. Every week certainly feels a little different now, but there are these seasons.
What are your family goals over the next few years?
[Our] daughter is entering middle school, so my husband and I … really want to find the best way to let our kid soar and kind of give her a longer leash, and letting her figure out her friends and middle school and all that. But we also are suddenly acutely aware of like, ‘Wow, we only have seven more years with her at home.’”
What is a family hack that you use that you think everyone should know about?
It’s all about [these] microdoses of connection. It’s why I started Backpocket. I feel like there’s just so much pressure on millennial parents in particular to just do all these grand gestures — Instagram-worthy things all the time — and I think for me the true hack is letting go of that expectation for myself … I think those little dribbles of just genuine connection and smiling with your kids throughout the day really fills both of your cups in a way that makes the everyday grind feel easier.
Family Favorites
Vacation Spot: Deep Creek Lake
Game: Hues and Cues
Restaurant: Lost Dog Pizza
Family Activity: Walking
Meal at Home: Salmon
