Do you think work-life juggle is easier when the kids are younger or school-age?
A SAHM friend of mine told me years ago (when my oldest was a newborn) that I shouldn't worry about putting him in daycare now. That when he'd really need me was after he started school. (Her kids are older than mine.) We are now four weeks into Kindergarten and I can emphatically say: She was right.
I have felt pulled in all kinds of new directions this past month. I had to re-hash the working-mom guilt-trip -- all of it. The tears, the what-ifs, the wishes. Nataly touched on something in one of her recent blog posts -- schools still have meetings during the work-day, so my being present at school just isn't as feasible as I want it to be. Even though I took a new job that is less than 10 minutes from the school, I can't juggle it and being a room mom. No way.
Not that any working mom's daily juggle needs to include room-mom duties! But with an early dismissal time (versus daycare, where they can stay until dark!), different after-care, homework, and extra-curriculars (T-ball games here, class Skating Parties there), I definitely feel the pinch much more now that we're school-age.
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That's one of the things that inspired me to start a new business last year. I have been an entrepreneur for 14 years. I wanted to be able to help other moms find a way to grow a successful home based business, so they can have the freedom to work and still be there for all those important moments in their children's life. Both your children's and your lives are important and should be nurtured.
Flag as inappropriate Posted by Kimberly Reddington on 11th September 2009