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I never thought I’d be a working mom. Let alone a work at home mom. I knew I’d always find ways to make a little money to add to our finances on the side, but this life I’m living. I never imagined it. Here I am, though, trying to figure out how to balance it all.
I get up at 5 AM these days just so I can get work done. Only usually, sometime between 5:30 and 6:30 I’ll find a small body tucking their toes under my legs, trying to share the space with my laptop. It’s like they have a 6th sense to when Mom gets up. No matter how softly I tiptoe or attempt gliding my stockinged feet across the cold hardwood floors they know I’m up.
I try to focus. Maybe if I cover them in a blanket they’ll go back to sleep for a little longer.
7AM rolls along, and I know I’m pushing it letting everyone else sleep more. We have 55 minutes to get up, get dressed, eat, make lunches, and double check backpacks before waiting for the bus. Thankfully the bus stops right in front of our house, so on cold mornings we hang out just inside the door.
There are days I feel bad for not walking them to school. After all, the bus ride around the corner takes longer than it does to walk. I remind myself the kids find joy riding the bus with their friends. So I resign myself to making sure I’m always at the door when they leave and when they get home. Because I’m Mom and that’s where I’m needed twice a day.
Do you know how incredibly hard it is to be “at work” with a 3-year-old stuffing RescueBots in your face begging you to play? For the rest of the day I feel torn. I need to work. I HAVE to work because I actually have clients and timelines. I also have schoolwork. It was a choice that to some may be something I could let go of, but it’s something for me I have to do. I also need to spend time with little prince. It’s a need for both of us. He’s my baby. In a few months he may be at school, making friends. I can’t waste this time we have together.
So I’m left wondering – usually around midnight – how do I do it all, and still find balance? I decide I can’t. So I let it go from my mind. I kiss my sweet babies and husband goodnight and head to bed for a little more sleep before doing it all again.
Are you a working mom?
Please share how you’ve found balance in your life!
To find more inspiration on balancing parenting and work, check out these awesome blogs:
Daily Momtivity
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Sara B Nash
Craft Create Calm
Multitasking Mom
LedyLiz
Sweet Discord
Smart Mom, Smart Ideas
Misty Shaheen
Suzi Whitford
Angela Coleman Sherman
SO true!!!! I could have written your first paragraph, word for word! This is never the life I would have imagined, and while I’m blessed beyond all my wildest dreams, it really is a constant struggled. You’re doing an amazing job, though! The thing I’ve found the most is praying for discernment for what things to drop from my life, what “useless things” to avoid, and focusing on saying “yes to the best”. I still struggle, every day, though. But it has gotten better <3
Nicole Elliott recently posted…New Giveaway: Kids Relief Allergy Oral Solution
What a true and inspired tip Nicole. One of the main reasons I get up at 5AM is so I can have 30minutes to an hour studying my scriptures. If I get up and just jump into work, I don’t get as much done, and the day is just “off”.
I totally know what you’re going through. My kindergartner is a story teller, and whenever I sit down at the computer, he’s right at my elbow with an unending line of tale spinning that spans several different genres. I feel bad for going into the “Uh-huh. Really. You don’t say.” mode, but I have to get my work done somehow!
Yes, how do we get past feeling guilty for going into that mode? I’ve admittedly agreed to things to my older kids, only because I was not giving my full attention. That’s always a hard one to back track on.
Yes finding balance while working from home can be challenging, particularly when you have small children or children of any age with particular needs. You just need to do the best you can.
valmg @ Mom Knows It All recently posted…Tips For Encouraging Your Child To Stay In Bed Longer – Claessens’ Kids’Sleep
Balance is a tough thing for everyone… but yes I would imagine working from home and then having kids is quite the undertaking to find the right amount of balance for each.
It’s so hard to find that balance. I totally agree with you about the kids knowing when Mom is up!! How do they do that???? I can be super quiet and yet there they are staring at me! I appreciate your honesty too. It’s hard to balance everything! Thanks for joining the blog hop!
Shannon recently posted…Balancing Life as A Working Mom
I actually have this struggle as well. I’m a writer, blogger, photographer and mother. I realized that something had to give. My husband and I prayed about it and realized the thing that takes me OUT of the home the most often was photography. I had to get my priorities in order and give it up for now. I’m good at it, and I enjoy it. But I enjoy my kids even more. It’s hard to say no, but people respect my reasons.
Good luck balancing it all!
Ah momma, hang in there! This mom guilt really gets me too sometimes. Even as a stay at home working mom, I still feel I don’t get enough time with my little ones. It’s a constant battle to be a good mother, working or not. Just love your little one as much as you can, and he’ll love you back! <3
thanks Suzi. My goal this year is to have less mom guilt by being more present while still working. It’s totally possible right?
I’m right there with you trying to balance work and family life! Like you said very well, it takes a lot of prioritizing and carefully planning each day. I try to keep realistic goals and to do lists, but often still feel burdened wanting to “do it all” yet feel like I’m not excelling in any area. It’s a work in progress. Great post.
Debi Walstad recently posted…Library Story Time
realistic goals are key! If we set unrealistic goals we just set ourselves up for a cycle of guilt.
I am so not a morning person! I’ve thought about getting up earlier so I can work before the kiddos wake up. But, sometimes, they get up REALLY early! lol Great post and glad to be a part of the blog hop with you 🙂
Oh for sure! I use to be a morning person, but having kids really turned that upside down for me. It’s only been recently I started taking back my mornings. It’s so not easy though, lol.
Balancing work and home life can be tricky. I’m lucky enough to do a lot of traveling for my blog, so I can combine the two quite often.
Jennifer recently posted…Domain.Me – An Online Presence for Everyone #MentorME
I think balance is a struggle for anyone. This is especially true for moms that work at home and have kids there too. It can be hard to get everything done!
Hi Adelina, you wrote here exactly what I felt 4 years ago! Now my son is 6 and he is pretty independent – he can spend 2-3 hours doing his things – drawing, playing Lego, watching cartoons… But when he was a year or 2 that was crazy times! I also have to work from home so… the one thing I can say to you: just stick it!
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