“Bookkeeper”

BY BRANGELY PENA

She’s a bookkeeper who juggles the challenges of managing both work and family expectations at her aunt and uncle’s accounting firm. Despite being skilled and dedicated, she often feels underestimated and treated like a child by her familial employers. The job isn’t her favorite, but it helps her stay financially stable, and she remains committed. 

I am a bookkeeper for a small accounting firm. I have about 35 small-business clients. I like to keep the mindset of “work is work”; it limits my stress and draws my focus to the current task at hand.

However, it’s difficult to manage work and life when working with family. I’ve been with the company for about three years now. The company is owned by my aunt’s husband, technically my uncle. It’s not my favorite place to work, but it keeps my mortgage paid, my lights on, and my mouth fed.

While at work, my aunt and uncle treat me like a child. I feel as if I’m not trusted or as if my competence is always doubted. They hired me because of my knowledge in accounting and finances, which is ironic to me when I am spoken to with belittlement. 

Yet, they expect me to dedicate my whole life to the job, which I do not; I dedicate myself to the job from when I clock in up until I clock out. They never say it directly, but because I am family, I’m expected to come into work earlier and leave later. They believe “family pitches in,” and if those unwritten rules are broken, they won’t value me as much.

I don’t like the atmosphere at my job; it can be hostile. Despite everything, my job experience is very valuable because of my work ethic and my dedication to gaining as much knowledge as possible regardless of my environment.