For most of us, the pandemic has been a time of change. Many switched to working from home with little or no notice; we were mandated to stay inside for most of the day and could not see the friends and family we rely on for support. But for three of the attorneys at McKinney, Bancroft & Hughes, there was an extra challenge in the form of a new baby.

Erin M Hill, Andrew C D Smith and Kimberley A Rolle explain what it was like to welcome a new addition to the family while living and working through a pandemic.

For Kimberley Rolle, the distraction of working at home with a baby was doubled, with twin boys Jaylen and Jayden born in October 2020.

Now that she’s back at work, Kimberley attempts to separate her work and home life. She has assistance with childcare and in order to maintain focus, is learning to let them deal with the situation if the babies cry, rather than going to see what is happening.

The benefits of working from home include saving the commute time, which extra time she makes sure that she uses wisely, and being able to easily check on the babies during breaks.

Kimberley has started going back into the office once or twice a week, but otherwise continues to work at home. She says, ‘At McKinney we like to say we’re a family, we’re a work family, and at the height of the pandemic we were able to demonstrate this by accommodating the specific needs that everyone had, including those with newborns.’

Her tip for those who may soon be working from home and juggling their job with childcare is not to be too hard on yourself. ‘It’s not easy. It’s an adjustment to work from home and it’s an adjustment to be a working parent. You have to acknowledge the changes and find your new stride.’

Kimberley A Rolle is a partner of the firm whose expertise is primarily focused on commercial law, real estate and corporate law. She is Chair of the firm’s Corporate and Commercial Transaction practice group and Vice Chair of the Real Estate and Immigration practice groups. She has also served as Director of the Securities Commission of The Bahamas and as a member of the Disciplinary Committee of the Bahamas Real Estate Association. Email: [email protected].