To celebrate National Working Moms Day on March 12, we asked our current and former working moms to share photos of their kids and thoughts on how they’ve balanced the demands of their careers and parenting.

Kristin’s sons Sam and Henry, keeping busy while she works.

“Being a working mom is hard work!” writes senior financial accountant/analyst Kristin Monday. “I am grateful for my family’s support to help get it all done. My best advice for other working moms is to communicate to your family what is going on for the week and plan what’s for dinner, who is picking up who from where, etc. It’s not always easy, but the kids make it worth it!”

Stevie and daughter Khalani, who just turned 2.

“My biggest piece of advice for balancing work and family life is waking up a little earlier each morning and never stressing the mess!” Ashwaubenon assistant branch manager Stevie Nemetz says. “There will always be something to clean or housework to do, but your children won’t be little forever! Take the time to play and enjoy family time! I’ve found getting up even 30 minutes earlier, while my daughter is still asleep, gives me enough time to clean up around the house a little bit, and then once I’m home from work, we get to spend quality time together!”

Lisa with Wyatt.

“I am a new mom, and my 7½-month-old son is a blessing,” Northside branch manager Lisa Brooks says. “The way I balance work and family is: I literally leave work at work. When I go home, I am focused on playing with him and involved in his growth and enjoying every second of him being little. It sounds simple, but as someone who takes pride in my work life, I’ve learned that you literally have to tell yourself ‘Work is work, home is for family time.’ I give myself grace. I leave my phone somewhere away from our play area. I embrace messes or chaos, as I can always clean or organize later. He will only be little for so long, and I want to soak it all in. And I make decisions that work for me and my family and commit to them. Advice is nice, and everyone has a opinion on how you can be a better working mom, but what works for others may not be the best path for me and my family. I follow my own path and heart.”

Got any words of wisdom or advice about being a working mom? Share it with us at shorelines@northshorebank.com. Winners of our prizes — The Gifts of Imperfection by Brené Brown and a paid half day off — have been selected and will be announced on March 10.