The First Day of Year Four: On Parenting, Admin Chaos, and Why I Swear by My Assistant
This morning I stood outside the school gates and realised my daughter is in Year Four already. How did that happen?
It feels like yesterday I was travelling everywhere with her in a sling. Now she's eight years old, tall enough to raid the fridge on her own, with strong opinions about everything from which lipstick shade matches my outfit to the types of apples I am allowed to buy.
Sometimes I hear a baby cry in a supermarket and my first thought is still is that her? Then I remember. My baby isn’t a baby anymore.
The days are long. The years are short.
The Funny Little Stages
Every age comes with its quirks. Right now we are firmly in the stage of:
👉🏾 Singing “la-la-lavaaaaaa chi-chi-chi-chickennn” (Khal Drogo will never be the same to me)
👉🏾 Finally understanding what Roblox actually is (So different from my Sega Master System)
👉🏾 Realising that if I say anything at all, it will be repeated word-for-word later, usually in public, at the wrong time. (She's like a an extremely observant parrot. When it seems like she's not paying attention, that's when she's listening the hardest!)
The Admin Nobody Warns You About
I love my daughter fiercely. I will never miss sports day. I will never miss baking her birthday cake. Those are non-negotiable.
But every parent knows that behind every one of those joyful, picture-perfect moments is an invisible mountain of admin.
It looks like this:
The school run
After-school clubs and extra lessons
Piano on Thursdays, Ballet on Saturdays
The WhatsApp group panic when someone realises it is “No Uniform Day” tomorrow
The constant flow of forms, payments, emails, permission slips, last-minute requests
Friends, my daughter has a shadow diary that sometimes outruns my professional one. And I am a busy executive. Trying to juggle client meetings with “remember to bring a costume for World Book Day” can be overwhelming.
Motherhood and Work: The Juggle Is Real
I am ambitious. I lead businesses. I have responsibilities to clients, teams, investors.
But I am also a mother. And that is not a role I ever want to short-change.
The tension is real. The guilt can be real too. When I am at work, I sometimes feel I should be at home. When I am at home, I sometimes feel I should be doing more for work.
What I have learned is that the answer is not to try and do everything on my own. That is the fastest path to burnout.
The answer is to accept help. To build systems around my life the same way I build systems around my business.
My Secret Weapon: A Virtual Assistant
This is why I work with a virtual assistant and remote support team through askChenai
Most people think of virtual assistants and remote support teams as something for executives. But parenting is one giant admin job.
And just like you would never run a business without systems, parents shouldn’t be expected to hold it all together without support. It has not only made me more productive at work. It has also made me more present at home. Because when I am freed from the endless life admin, I have the capacity to show up as the mother I want to be.
Here is what that looks like in practice:
I forward the school newsletter to my VA. Within hours every date is in my diary, complete with reminders and travel time. (Yes, I am that parent in the WhatsApp group who already knew it was No Uniform Day.)
For my daughter’s birthday party, my VA handled RSVPs, liaised with the bowling alley, sorted menu options, and gave me one neat checklist. My only job was making party bags with my daughter, which is the fun part.
Payments, scheduling, follow-ups are all streamlined. I don’t waste brain space on them anymore.
This gives me back hours every week. Hours that mean I can attend the sports day without checking emails on the sidelines. Hours that mean I can bake the birthday cake without rushing through it. Hours that mean I can breathe.
This is not about outsourcing love or care. I will never outsource hugging my daughter when she is upset. I will never outsource clapping at sports day. But I will gladly outsource the admin around those moments. Because it means when I show up, I am calm, happy, and fully present.
I only have one child. Parents with three, four, five? I salute you. You are superheroes.
But even superheroes deserve a sidekick. For me, that is my virtual assistant.
Ready for Year Four
The first day of school is always emotional for me. It is another reminder that time is flying, that the baby years are gone, and that every stage is precious.
This year, I feel prepared. I feel calm. And I feel ready for Year Four.
👉 If you are curious about how a virtual assistant and remote support team can support your life (not just your work), check out our Life Admin Service.
The days are long. The years are short. The admin is never-ending. With the right support, you can spend your energy where it matters most.
