In this episode, I interview Sir Lunch-a-lot, father of 2 and someone whose job involves a lot of overseas travel and eating out! We talk about frequent work travel, flexibility as a person in a leadership role, and family teamwork. His wife Kathryn's episode can be found here: http://www.headofacodfish.com.au/kathryn.

The Lowdown

- Family of 4
- 2 working parents
- 1 full-time
- 1 part-time
- 2 school aged children

  

2:42 Sleep?
2:48 A reliable 8 hours
3:14 Who are the people in your family?
3:34 What is your parenting superpower
3:50 It's a joint effort and joint superpower
4:18 Partners parenting super powers?
4:38 Novelty factor when dad is around
4:52 Framework of expectations and behaviours
5:02 Developing independence in children
5:56 Masterchef!
6:38 Partner is better at fostering independence
6:58 I am the mother hen
7:06 How is the childcare managed
7:20 9 day fortnight and reduced hours
7:28 I do drop-offs and wife does pickups
7:36 A lot of work travel so wife does all when overseas
7:52 Stress on wife and relationship
8:00 The reality of 2 working parents with different demands
8:40 Transitions between all family home and someone away
9:16 8 weeks stint overseas
9:50 Sir Lunch-a-lot
10:20 Which country are you going to today dad?
10:30 Ability to choose your path?
10:46 Very much a team effort
11:00 Putting the kids first
11:14 Wife ends up bottom of the list
12:28 Flexibility in office work - not rigid shift work
13:16 Life would be very different without that flexibility
13:36 What works well?
13:56 School hours and weekdays are structured
14:00 Being particular about social life and weekends
14:14 Weekend kids sport
14:32 Comes at a cost
15:08 Things you learn beyond academic pursuits
15:16 Downsides
15:26 Wife misses out a lot
15:34 Work means I have to go back on home commitments previously made
16:28 Book club villain
16:36 I also would like to do more stuff outside work
17:22 Learning the guitar in your 60s
17:48 Learn a language in the car
17:52 The cheese is old and mouldy
17:58 Next steps in the evolution of family?
18:18 Greater level of independence
18:40 Wife could go back full-time
18:54 Wife has positioned herself well professionally to go back to other challenges
19:06 Not losing career momentum
19:38 Do you feel like your family responsibilities are supported at work?
19:42 Technology is great for working and family
20:16 Outsourcing domestic work, shopping deliveries
20:50 Parents have very traditional roles and couldn't conceive online shopping
22:02 Do the people you work with understand your dual responsibilities?
22:14 In a leadership role
22:18 Open when absent for child-related reasons
22:28 Make sure productivity and outcomes speaks for itself (not hours)
22:40 Not clock watching and empowering other to focus on outcomes also
22:54 Producing a high quality of work done more important than clocking on at exactly 9 am