Do you struggle with “work-life balance”? Can you “have it all”? What does that even mean? Is it possible that parenting can make you a better developer? And being a developer can help you to be a better parent? Whether you have children or are considering children, we’ll explore the good, the bad and the wonderful rewards of parenting in tech while sharing real tools to navigate the parenting journey. You don’t have to give up yourself, or the things you really want, you can build a life that works for YOU. Full-time software engineer, conference speaker, leader of the Portland PHP User group, President of Cascadia PHP and Mom of three young children; Alena shares her own journey and what she has learned along the way, including having nine younger siblings. Find encouragement and tools for your own parenting journey.

1. Dev Parent
uniquely qualified
https://joind.in/talk/76123

2. Sr. Software Engineer at Lumen Learning
Local User Group Leader
Conference Speaker and Organizer
Married for 18 Years
Mother to 3
Second oldest of 11
About Me: Alena Holligan

3. Completely intimidated
to give this talk

4. Google
Creativity
Putting out Fires
Outsourcing
Frameworks
Dev Parent Skills
Ask for Help
It's all about tradeoffs
You don’t really know
something until you can
explain it
It's all about the perks

5. Much like startups, parenting is
about putting in the hours, loving
the child through the worst, and
never giving up. - Sarah Lacy

6. Community
Routine
Expectations
Accountability
Model

7. Community

8. People who support each
other towards a goal

9. Friends
Family
Co-Workers
Online
User Groups
Build Community: Personal, Professional, Parenting
Mentor/Mentee
Personal Hobbies
Religious Affiliation
Household help
Outsourced Help

10. Routine

11. Don’t fight yourself or
your kids

12. Expectations

13. To bring up a child in
the way he should go -
travel that way yourself.
- Josh Billings

14. Accountability

15. You are only
accountable to YOU

16. Model

17. Children have never been very good
at listening to their elders, but they
have never failed to imitate them.
- James Baldwin

18. Model for the Industry

19. Multitasking with different parts of your brain
Measure what matters (Tile Mosaic)
Make very short to-do lists
Tips for Adults

20. Don’t do it on your own, outsource
Give them a choice, two things your good with
Pictures for a list
Tips for Kidos

21. Books/Websites
The 5 Love Languages
A Uterus Is a Feature, Not a Bug
I Know How She Does It
The Fifth Trimester
How to Raise an Adult
If I Have to Tell You One More Time
Selfish Reasons to Have Kids
(interesting thoughts)
People
alenaholligan/lists/parenting
Amy McCready
Laura Vanderkam
Sarah Lacy
Lauren Smith Brody
https://joind.in/talk/76123
Resources