Friday, October 7

The Mom part of Romance Reading Mom

I'm in a reading slump, don't know why, but nothing on the TBR pile is appealing right now. All the back cover blurbs are leaving me rather blah, so I'm blogging about being a mom instead.

I know I'm extremely lucky--I can be home full time at this point in our lives, and that I have a choice in the situation. I don't know how working women do it, and function on any level of normalcy.

I'm up early (5:30-6:00), make breakfast for everyone and pack lunch/school snacks. Get hubby out of the house by 7:30, on school days (Mon, Wed, Fri) Junior and I are out by 8:25. While he's in school, I walk 2-3 miles and run errands. We come home have lunch, I clean, cook and we play outside or go to the park. Junior has dinner between 4:30 and 5:00 and we eat between 5:30 and 6:00. He sits down and has a snack while we eat, but we completely avoid the "witching hour" by feeding him a little early. Junior needs a shower and is in bed between 7:00 and 7:30 and I get to read from 8:00 until I fall asleep, usually around 11:00. Tuesdays and Thursdays are slower as he only has karate in the afternoons.

Where is there time for a job in all of that? My SIL worked full time with her older child and is now home full time with her second child (there's a 7 year difference in their age) she swears it's easier to work--is that possible?

5 comments:

Sam said...

I was a SAHM, so I'm not sure how working mothers do it. I'm in awe of my sister who works full time as a councelor plus helping her husband out in his restaurant by cooking the desserts, while raising her son. Nicks is 5 now, and finally in kindergarten full time. But it's still a lot more work than I can imagine.
I raised twin boys and a girl, and that was enough work for me. Well, it's true I write and do freelance artwork and substitute teaching on occasion, but I still admire working moms.

Anonymous said...

I worked when my oldest was very young and I was miserable! I'm very blessed to be able to stay home, also, and wouldn't change a thing. And my kids are both in school full time.

I'd thought to go back to work when my youngest started school, but hubby and I had a change of heart. I've decided, if it's at all possible, it's best to be here for your teenagers, too.

I'm very glad that I have this choice and, especially with the way this year has gone, wouldn't change a thing.

Bob & Muffintop said...

I'm a stay at home mom too. I worked part time for five years and full time for six months before deciding to stay at home full time again. I don't regret it at all.

Like Jenster I thought I'd return to work full time when younger son was in school time, but I think older kids need a parent at home just as much, if not more than younger kids.

It has taken some adjusting on my part, mostly along the lines of what my image of who & what I'd become when I "was a grown up."

I'm fortunate in that husband fully supports me & the kids all panic whenever I read the want ads. "Mom, we need you at home!!"

Gigi said...

I'm a SAHM by accident I guess since I got laid off before the baby was born. If I hadn't gotten laid off I would've had to go back to work last Thursday. I thought about it and couldn't imagine leaving my little helpless baby in some strangers hands. I think I would go insane. So I'm counting my lucky stars. One thing I don't like about being a SAHM is how other working moms kind of make me feel like I'm wasting my life away because I'm at home all day. One asked me don't you feel like you're going brain dead? I think she's the brain dead one but still comments like that annoy me to no end.

Tara Marie said...

Giselle--you are not wasting your time. You're job is just as important as someone working outside the home. You're your baby's primary caregiver, working mom's have to trust that to someone else, it's a hard right to give up.

Jenster & Amanda--my sister was a SAHM and she swore it was more important to be home with my niece during the teenage years, the after school problems were much bigger in nature and she needed to be home.

Sam--it sounds to me like you're a working mom, hey, you're working from home and how many working moms would love to be able to do that??