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What My Kids Think I Do for a Living v. What I Actually Do (From a Real Estate Mom of 6 in Helena)
If you ask my kids what I do for a living, you’ll get six very different answers and not a single one is entirely accurate.
I’m a real estate agent here in Helena, Montana. But according to my kids, my job ranges from “opening doors” to “being on my phone all the time” to “driving people around to see houses.”
Honestly… they’re not totally wrong.
What My Kids Think I Do:
“You just unlock houses.”
To be fair, I do spend a lot of time unlocking doors. But if only it were that simple. In their minds, I just pop over to a house, open it up, and voilà, someone buys it. No big deal. We won’t even get into the dreaded “key doesn’t work, door knob won’t turn etc” problems.
“You talk on the phone all day.”
Also… not wrong. But what they don’t see is that every call is a negotiation, a problem to solve, or a deal that could fall apart at any second.
“You look at pretty houses.”
Sometimes, yes. But they don’t see the houses with mystery smells, last minute messes, or the ones where I’m mentally calculating how a family of (insert family size of client here) could possibly make it work.
“You’re always working.”
This one stings a little, because from their perspective, it’s true. Real estate doesn’t clock out at 5 p.m., and neither do I most days.
What I Actually Do:
I help families make one of the biggest decisions of their lives.
This isn’t just about houses, it’s about where kids will grow up, where holidays will be celebrated, and where life happens.
I manage emotions (a lot of them).
Buying or selling a home is emotional. There’s stress, excitement, fear, and sometimes tears. I’m part guide, part therapist, part problem solver.
I juggle a hundred moving pieces at once.
Contracts, inspections, deadlines, financing, negotiations, it’s like spinning plates while answering calls and coordinating schedules… often from my car.
I solve problems people never even see.
Deals don’t just “come together.” There are last-minute hiccups, surprises, and behind the scenes fixes that my clients may never even know about (and that’s kind of the point).
I advocate hard for my clients.
Whether it’s negotiating price, repairs, or timelines, I’m constantly working to protect my clients and get them the best possible outcome.
The Funny Part? Both Versions Are True
At the end of the day, my kids see the surface level version of my job and honestly, that’s okay. They see me running out the door, juggling calls, and trying to make it to dinner on time.
What they don’t fully see (yet) is the responsibility, the pressure, and how much I genuinely care about the families I work with.
But they do see this:
- That I work hard
- That I show up for people
- That I’m building something while raising them
And maybe that’s the part that matters most.
Real Estate, Through a Mom Lens
Being a mom of six has actually made me better at what I do. I notice things other people might not:
- Is there enough space for real life, not just picture perfect living?
- Will this home actually function for my client’s needs?
- Can this layout handle chaos, backpacks, sports gear, and everything in between?
Because I don’t just sell homes, I understand how they’re lived in.
Final Thoughts:
So yes, sometimes I “just unlock doors.”
And yes, I’m “on my phone a lot.”
But I’m also helping people take huge steps in their lives, and doing it while raising six humans of my own. Well, technically two are out of the house now.
And if you ask my kids again in a few years?
I have a feeling their answer might sound a little different.
…or they’ll still say I just open doors. 😄
