A day in the life of a working mom

Being a working mom has it's challenges, it's rewards and it's drawbacks.

Really, it's kind of a difficult life to balance on most days. Take today for example. I work 20 hours a week and we've worked it out where I do many of my hours in the office while Leeann is in preschool. Titus goes to a friend of mine's house and I get the bulk of my work done while sacrificing as little time away from my kids as possible. Today is one of those days I'm supposed to be in the office.

Rob takes Titus, or Titus and Leeann whenever possible, so Titus is only in childcare 6 hours per week (except Sunday mornings when they're in their Sunday School classes).

Anyway, back to today. I'm supposed to be in the office today, but Titus is running a fever. He's breaking 3 eye teeth and one molar, so I'm pretty sure it's due to teething, but I don't want to drop my child with a fever off at Eroica's house since she's got a 4 month old and a 2 year old. That's just not nice!

So, I got the kids ready this morning and took them to the coffee shop with me for a staff meeting. They ate breakfast and behaved quite well. Then I packed them up, took Leeann to school, went back to the coffee shop for the remainder of the staff meeting and now Titus and I are hanging out at home killing time until we have to pick Leeann up again.

Needless to say, quite unexpectedly, I'm not getting my time in the office today. That's okay, a working mom always has to have a Plan B right? So now, I'll have to squeeze what I needed to get done today into the remainder of my week. No problem?

Well, working from home proves to be difficult on most days. It takes me an hour to get done at home (with interruptions) what it would take me 15 minutes to do in the office. It's just one of those things, any mom can sympathize I'm sure!

In order to get into the office where I can be most productive I have to do one of the following:

1.) Bring my kids with me, but then the problems with interruptions are the same, and every one else in the office suffers :0)

2.) Arrange for child care which takes time to organize, get the kids ready, drop them off etc. It also costs me either time (to pay back the baby sitting by swapping kids) or money, by paying a babysitter.

3.) I can call Rob away from work to bail me out. But, let's face it, he has a job too, and that usually isn't an option because he's got work he needs to get done.

4.) I do my work while Rob's home (which already happens some anyway) but then that takes from family time... which we try to be protective of.

See the dilemma? So, as long as things work according to plan, I'm able to get most of my hours in and most of my job done with as little time, energy and money expended into the childcare efforts as possible. The problem is, things rarely work according to plan! And, if I had enough money to pay a babysitter for both kids while I worked... then, well, I wouldn't need to work!

I must say however, that I love my job. I wouldn't trade my job for anything! I don't regret the time that I spend working, because I feel like it makes me a better mom even though I spend more time away from my kids than a stay-at-home mom. See, I'm the kind of person that needs to know that I have an identity outside of my kids. I need to have a project, a passion, a hobby... something besides my kids that I get the opportunity to pour in to. Not at the expense of my kids, but alongside being a mom. I feel like I'm better able to focus on my kids, and on being a good mom, when I have some outside chaos in my life also. I get depressed on days that I'm home, doing nothing, wandering around aimlessly. So really, I feel like the kiddos get a better me when I'm not solely devoted to wiping noses and dishing out animal crackers. (I know this isn't the case for everyone, but it happens to be for me... props to all those stay-at-home mommies who can devote all of their time and attention to their kiddos without going insane... you deserve a million blue-ribbons!)

Not to mention, I have the coolest job in the world! I get to lead and influence adults who are making an eternal difference in the lives of so many kids! Which, if you think about it, does directly affect my kids also! If I won the lottery today, I think I'd still choose to keep my job. It would be easier, because then paying for child care wouldn't be so difficult... but I really don't think I'd quit. Maybe then, I'd just volunteer, but I certainly wouldn't quit. And I'd hire a maid!

Regardless, this is the stage of life we're in. As a family, we chose for me to work part-time to help make ends meet. We knew that choice would have consequences both good and bad, and it's what we've chosen for our family. I admit though, sometimes it's difficult... especially during busy seasons of ministry (Yeah, keep that in mind, since Rob and I work at the same place our busy seasons usually over-lap!). It's difficult, but still a huge blessing. I'm glad God is providing for us by giving me a job that I love. I love my life! God stretches me and strengthens me daily.

He's been teaching me a lot by this juggling act of being a Children's Ministry Director, a Pastor's wife, a mom, a woman of God, a friend, a cook, a maid (what I wouldn't pay to have one of those around!), a chauffeur, an owie-fixer, a problem solver, and so much more...

With that, I'm going to go spend some special time with Titus since it's just he and I right now... that doesn't happen very often. I should probably take advantage of it!