I give my full respect to all mothers. It’s the most difficult and wonderful role. Whether you are a working mom or stay at home mom, we all have challenges that we face. As a full time working mom myself, there are different challenges that I face than those who don’t work, work part time, or work from home.
I definitely like that I have a job and contribute to our life, but I also wish that I didn’t have to spend so much time away from home. I wanted to share some thoughts about life as a working mom.
Some days are hard…
As I sit at work, I think about what my kids had for lunch, who will pick them up from school, what they are doing until I get home, what I’m going to make for dinner, if I can wait to run to the grocery store because I just want to get home to them. I almost never get them on the bus or off the bus.
I could cry just writing that.
Some days are awesome…
I get to be a contributor to our family finances and lifestyle, I get to be creative and network with people, I have a positive and safe work environment, I almost never get annoyed with my kids because we have breaks from each other and therefore truly value our time together.
What works best for me…
Honestly, some days I just have to let myself cry a little bit. Then, I pick myself up and refocus. I remind myself that the life that we are living is only possible because of the work that I do; my kids love me so much and are happy, safe, and well cared for; I earn my own money so I do what I want ;) Just kidding, but I tell myself that.
Here are some things I do to make me feel better:
Refocus my energy and perspective - stay positive and think about all the great things I'm doing and the example I'm setting for my kids.
Make a little plan to hold my kids extra long when I get home - sometimes if I think about something special we'll do together, it gives me something positive to look forward to.
Treat myself to an easy dinner or a coffee - somedays you just gotta treat yourself and make life a little easier if it's within your means.
Tell my husband that I’m having a hard day and just need a hug - my husband is so supportive and understands the guilt I feel, so it's helpful for me to communicate to him when I'm having a hard day rather than just be snippy with him.
Think about one thing that I do really well as a mom -
I tuck my kids in every night and they always like to chat and share things with me.
I love to cook and they always prefer my cooking over going out.
I can always make them laugh.
Point out all the big, beautiful clouds (they make fun of me for this)
Other little tips I use to survive the busy weeks:
Spend 15 minutes each night prepping for the next day - pack bags, set up my lunch, do the dishes, check the laundry.
Curate a list of easy go-to dinners and make sure I always have the ingredients - tacos, spaghetti, cheesy potato soup, stir fry.
Have my kids help! They help make the messes, so they can help clean them up. My kids are a bit older now, so it’s been wonderful to get them to chip in. They do their own laundry, take out the garbage, empty the dishwasher, and feed the animals.
Use “the power hour” strategy to keep up with any administrative tasks - set aside one hour a week to pay the bills, fill out school paperwork, write the grocery list, organize our filing, call for appointments, etc.
There are pros and cons to all of our situations. This is the life that my husband and I chose, so I want to make the most of it and show my kids that I am happy and love our life, even though it may look a little different from many others in our community.
If you are also a working mom, I’d love to hear some of your strategies for surviving the busy days and weeks.
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