Confessions of a Modern Working Mom: Always Adjusting
Well, a picture tells the story of a thousand words, doesn’t it?
That’s my son. Yup, right there, sleeping in his car seat at my favorite coffee shop. That’s me behind the laptop working and writing with my kid. Soon he’s going to wake up and alarm the whole coffee shop and I’m going to leave in a hurry as if someone just told me the Taco Bell grillers are back on the menu. Right now I feel like I can’t focus on my “real” work, so here I am writing about this stressful moment in time trying to find the humor in it. The days the daycare is closed or they call you in because your kid upchucked something are an inconvenience for working mothers (working mothers includes day jobs, entrepreneurs, business owners, night shifts, etc. It may look different for us but we all still work very hard to take care of our families). They’re not going to call Dad, and if they do Dad is probably going to ask you to get the kiddo.
Sound familiar? Perhaps the setting is your in-home office or a ZOOM meeting. Or if you work a traditional job you literally have to clock out and take the hit not making any money that day or aggravating a boss who doesn’t understand this struggle.
Some moms get up in the wee hours of the morning to. get themselves and their children ready for school/daycare. Then they work an 8 hour shift at a job with little to no vacation days. Having a sick child is such an inconvenience. (Maybe we need to get tougher on immune system building recipes? That way they stop calling me to come pick him up)?
For us moms who work at a setting of our choice, do you like to work at home or somewhere else?
I do work at home often but when I am home, I am in “home-maker” mode. I’ve got my robe on, ponytail up. I want to tidy things up, get started on dinner and relax in between tasks. I do not feel like a powerful and dynamic badass business woman when I work from home but that’s just me and honestly that is a privilege. If I had to get my business duties done at home, of course I would. But I have a choice, and I like the coffee-shop vibe. I get to meet new people or see old friends. I use their wifi and sip on my favorite drink. Sometimes I have one-on-one business meetings here too.
So that’s why my son is here. When child-care doesn’t fit our needs, we have to make a way. Some days it doesn’t feel like we even have a choice. But I found a silver lining to make myself feel appreciative of the moment….
Some Days You Are Just Your Own “Tribe”
Hang in there, mama. I’ve been there too.
Today might be hard but maybe tomorrow can be better. We mothers spend a good deal of energy adjusting to changes. From the way our bodies changed through pregnancy - not to mention our monthly cycles - and adjusting to our children’s ever changing needs. After we’re done taking care of everyone we sit and wonder - “Oh wait, what do I need?” Sometimes I don’t even know. Those are the times I sit down and write, like how I am now or I go on a walk. I don’t know what I need, so I go inward.
And that can be tough to do when you’re constantly working. I blame the rat-race.
My advice? Honestly I don’t really have any.
This post is to help you feel like you’re not alone. What helped me find the silver lining in today was prayer and looking at my son. I can’t change how today went, so as I look at him I appreciate his presence and his company here with me. He’s my little buddy. He gets to hang out with mama today and I’m going to make it the best day. I changed my mentality about the situation and now I feel a bit better. I guess taking a deep breath really does help, doesn’t it?
