Monica Johnsonbaugh, OD, of Grosse Pointe Michigan, says that opening her own practice several years ago has allowed her tremendous flexibility in being able to attend school and extracurricular events for her two daughters, ages 9 and 5. The fact that her husband, Andrew Johnsonbaugh, is the business manager for the practice, Focus 313, makes it even more flexible. “My husband is a huge support; he does more housework than I do,” she says.
Her mother-in-law helps out tremendously, and Dr. Johnsonbaugh says that when it’s time to work, she dedicates herself to that role fully. “There’s a lot of balance, and I try not to have the guilt if I can’t be there for everything. I love my work and hope that’s a model for my daughters,” she says.
She has also taken on the role of speaking for a contact lens manufacturer, and she selects her speaking opportunities carefully. “I don’t travel when my daughters have something going on. And when I am traveling, it’s for 24 hours. The girls can handle 24 hours, and they’re excited about where I’m going and the fact that they’ll have a movie night with daddy while I’m gone.”
