'Official Working Moms Thread'

can we start this?

we can use this thread for support, tips, ideas, vents, etc.

i know i'm personally struggling with the fact that i have to work, but we financially have NO other options. i also know i'm not the only one in this boat.

i live & breathe for the weekends....and spend every waking moment with her once i get home....

what do you guys to do make it easier on you and your child??

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i used to take photos of her on my phone and look at her all day

My wallpaper at the office is her

I got a digitial photo frame so i can update with MORE pics of her


hahaha

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Aww!

I actually dont mind working. I hate being away from her for ANYTHING other than work, but I feel like my job is really important for me to feel like a human and I get tons of days off.

On the weekends I hate even going to the store alone while she is napping..I want to be with her every single second.

I have a hard time with all that has to get crammed into the night...getting things ready for the next day, dinner while I want to spend time with her etc.

I am EXHAUSTED when I finally get to sit down and veg....so worth it though

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thanks for starting this, jess! i"ll be back at work after thanksgiving and i am sick over it! i know aupport from others going through the same thing will definitely help!

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Message edited 11/2/2009 7:16:52 PM.

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As a full-time working mom who likes it that way, I will definitely suggest looking at it from the angle of all the good things that come from being a working mom. What other choice is there? To be miserable over something you can't change? Perspective is a very strong thing, so here are some things that I personally LOVE about being a working mom:

I love that I have time to myself to drink coffee in the morning without feeling guilty. I sit at my desk and bs with my girlfriends for a few minutes each morning.

I love that I can use the bathroom without someone opening the door or screaming for me.

I love that I can stop at the store on the way home without having to lug her in and out of the car.

I love that I can play a game on my computer when I have a few minutes of downtime and not feel guilty that I'm ignoring her.


I love that she's formed bonds with other people besides me and learned to trust other people besides me.

I love that she is independent and knows that when I leave, I will always return.

I love that our time together is never taken for granted because we know how precious it is.

I love that I get a paycheck that I have worked for and earned.

I love my job, period.

I love interacting with other adults in my field and having good discussions on a daily basis about my field.

I could go on, but my point is, it's all how you look at it.
I know it's hard, I really, really do. But I also know that it's good, too. You just have to look for the positives sometimes, even when it's hard to.

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i do take a photo of her EVERY SINGLE DAY before i drop her off - i call them 'drop off photos'....as soon as i get to work - before anything else, i upload it to my computer & edit it.

my screensaver is also all of my emma photos..

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bumping for all the moms at work!

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Posted by prncsslehcar

As a full-time working mom who likes it that way, I will definitely suggest looking at it from the angle of all the good things that come from being a working mom. What other choice is there? To be miserable over something you can't change? Perspective is a very strong thing, so here are some things that I personally LOVE about being a working mom:

I love that I have time to myself to drink coffee in the morning without feeling guilty. I sit at my desk and bs with my girlfriends for a few minutes each morning.

I love that I can use the bathroom without someone opening the door or screaming for me.

I love that I can stop at the store on the way home without having to lug her in and out of the car.

I love that I can play a game on my computer when I have a few minutes of downtime and not feel guilty that I'm ignoring her.


I love that she's formed bonds with other people besides me and learned to trust other people besides me.

I love that she is independent and knows that when I leave, I will always return.

I love that our time together is never taken for granted because we know how precious it is.

I love that I get a paycheck that I have worked for and earned.

I love my job, period.

I love interacting with other adults in my field and having good discussions on a daily basis about my field.

I could go on, but my point is, it's all how you look at it.
I know it's hard, I really, really do. But I also know that it's good, too. You just have to look for the positives sometimes, even when it's hard to.

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I try not to do chores while she is awake. This sometimes mean I leave dirty dishes in the sink overnight if I am too tired after she goes to bed I do most of my heavy housework while she naps on the weekend-vacuuming, laundry, etc. I clean the bathroom before I take a shower on Saturdays. DH is in charge of the downstairs br sicne he showers in that one.

I use peapod. I can't stand wasting 2 hrs on the weekend to go food shopping. I literally want to spend all of my free time with DD and DH.

I do not go on the computer at home during the week-except on Wed when I work from home. Even on the weekends, if she is awake, I try to stay off the computer.

I am very lucky that my mgr is very understanding. If I did not have that 1 day a week working from home I think I would lose it. It makes a HUGE difference.

I had to learn to let alot go when I went back to work. No clean house everyday, no home cooked meals everyday (at least not for me and DH).

She is little for such a short short time and I just want to soak it all in. I am not happy about working, neither is DH. But there is no other option for us.

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Thanks for starting this...I miss DS so much during the day. I am lucky- I have MIL and my mom watching him while I am at work. I love calling to see what he is doing, but when I hear him making noises it almost brings me to tears knowing that I am missing him. I look foward to weekends, and run out of work. I changed my hours at work so that i can miss rush hour traffic, and it makes a big difference.

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I enjoy working, getting dressed nice every day and having adult interaction. I love that DD is making tons of friends at daycare and learning so much by watching the older babies. I was a painfully shy little kid who CLUNG to my mom and hated going to preschool (and even kindergarten - yes, I was that annoying crying kid ). I didn't have that social interaction until way later.

Although it makes me sad to have limited time with DD on weekdays, I love that the time I do have is always quality time. When I'm home with her and she is awake, I put all my energy into playing with her, singing with her, feeding her, making her laugh, and enjoying every second. I never check the computer, talk on the phone, prepare anything for the next day, etc until after she is asleep.

I am lucky that she is in a daycare in my building so I go to see her at lunch and cherish that time, because I know that soon she will be old enough to know when I am leaving and I might not be able to do it as much.

I am proud that I am able to manage both sides of my life, although it's not easy. I know I am showing my DD a good example that she can be whatever she wants to be. And if what she wants to be someday is a SAHM, I will be as proud as if she is President.

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My kids are a little older but I will have a little one again in March. I Have photos of them everywhere and I speak to them at least once a day. I think I might stay home when DD #2 is born (we cannot afford it but cant afford day care) so I'm kind of looking to some other options right now - like working evenings or nights somewhere.

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I just went back full time yesterday. It's hard but she's with her grandparents every day so I know she's in great hands!

I'm going to nurse her right when I get home, again before she goes to bed and in the morning before I leave. I love that bonding time!

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I hate leaving my kids all day so DH and I really treasure our mornings, nights and weekends with them

My 2 year old hated going to daycare but yesterday I picked him up from school and he had a tantrum since he "didnt want to leave" and "wanted to play kitchen with his friends"

It made me sad but happy too--knowing that he is having fun and not in front of tv all day

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I do so much work to keep busy that I am the best worker I have ever been. I am finished with projects due in Jan!

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I enjoy working, but of course I miss being home with DD.

I do enjoy hanging out with adults and having some time to myself when I'm here at work and I try to make evenings and weekends the best for DD.

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Posted by Jen2999

Aww!

I actually dont mind working. I hate being away from her for ANYTHING other than work, but I feel like my job is really important for me to feel like a human and I get tons of days off.

On the weekends I hate even going to the store alone while she is napping..I want to be with her every single second.

I have a hard time with all that has to get crammed into the night...getting things ready for the next day, dinner while I want to spend time with her etc.

I am EXHAUSTED when I finally get to sit down and veg....so worth it though

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I had a really hard time in the beginning and feel like it's starting to feel more normal to be away from him during the day. That being said I'm home by 3:30 most days and we spend real quality time together from the time I get home until he goes to bed. It's tough and I wish I was there with him all the time but I do like my job and I like the adult interaction. On the weekends it's very rare that we leave him to go out, if there is something we need to do we bring him along. He's great at being on the go!

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Love this thread!

I am working full-time & EBF. It is tough but something that I enjoy doing. It requires me waking up at 445am M-F but I am hoping to do it as long as possible.

The week nights are tough-unpacking, packing for the next day, cooking,playing with the baby, etc...I work in a school so I pick up DS at 245pm so we have a good 4 - 5 hours together!

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I have been back to work for five months now and it is still very hard. Work is okay, but my day is long. I only have one hour at night to spend with DS and he is very cranky because he is tired. The house is a mess and I try to keep up with it, but DS always makes me feel horrible when things aren't done. I unfortunately work Saturdays, but love my Saturday afternoons since I'm home by three. I totally wish I could do Pea Pod, we spend so much time shopping it drives me crazy, agian DH won't let us do Pea Pod, it's too expensive. I am hoping that I will be able to work from home two days a week from 6:00 to 3:00. This will give me six extra hours a week to spend with DS. Right now this is my only hope. Fingers are permanetly crossed.

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I like the fact that my son will see me as a career woman. Whether I had a boy or a girl, I wanted my child to see women in careers outside the home. Not everyone feels the same but that is what makes the world go 'round. But someone please tell me when am I supposed to shop for work clothes? I do some of it online but at some point I have to get to the stores!!!!! 20 minutes of shopping here and there is not cutting it!

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Yesterday I go into Morgan's classroom to pick her up. She is sitting in a bumbo and they placed a little table with all of those gadgets on it right in front of her. I see her playing with the toys. She looks up and sees me and starts flapping her arms and giving me the biggest gummy smile I have ever received.
She was happy without me and then she was happy with me.
I knew I was doing right by her.