How My Training in the Corporate World Has Served Me Well

* clarification below

Before I became a mother, I worked in IT, first for a non-profit, then a record company. I did computer support, helpdesk, and network administration. Many of the skills I learned at work have served me well for my current job as a stay-at-home mom:

I gained valuable insight into how to manage the needs of unreasonable, capricious tyrants;

I learned how not to get bored by doing the same things over and over again;

I was on call all the time and often worked evenings and weekends;

I learned how to explain things slowly, simply, and clearly, with patience;

I learned what to do when someone is having a temper tantrum (stand back, keep quiet and let them work it out);

I learned how to manage stress;

I learned there are some problems I cannot fix;

I learned not to take it personally when someone was having a bad day and taking it out on me;

I crawled under furniture*;

I got used to doing a hell of a lot of work for far too little remuneration;

I learned how to make a stiff gin and tonic at the end of the day.

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* To plug things in, you pervs.