I am a huge fan of the new
momversation site - where moms talk to one another about real-life issues we moms are facing. Their recent momversation (you can actually watch it right here on Ohana Mama in my sidebar) was about the guilt we have when we try to juggle being a mom and being a working woman. This is an ongoing struggle for me.
When I first had my son, four years ago, I was "blessed" to go from being in outside sales to a working from home mom...full time, 40 hours a week. Looking back, it was nuts! What was I thinking? What most would think to be the best situation, I soon realized that it could possibly be the worse situation for a Mama. I mean, you don't "get" to leave the house and go to work. You instead sit in your house AND take care of your child AND since you are home, your hubby just might think that you should be able to have dinner ready and clothes cleaned and put away..I mean you are home all day, right?
WRONG! Soon I found that I was feeling like a failure at everything. Something had to change. Well luck have it, I got laid off due to the downturn in the real estate market. Yes, I said luck. After all this meant I had to be a full time mom. I had to focus on my son (and thankfully my unemployment check allowed us to have some money coming in, albeit for a short while).
Well, 2.5 years later, and I am currently back to being a working mom - yes from the home (I know, I know, what am I thinking?!) Well, I am back to thinking, "this is crazy!" BUT, thankfully I landed a PART-TIME job from www.hiremymom.com. This meant that the person doing the hiring automatically knows that I am a M.O.M. Just to know that my boss knows this, is a relief for some reason. No hiding in my closet to make a phone call, scared the caller may hear a babble or cry from my bambina. (although I do try and set up all calls when I know nap time should be happening).
But still, I carry guilt. Even though I am in the same room as my kids, am I really "here?" I try to do work mostly when my daughter takes naps and my son is at preschool. I try to really "be on it" on those days when I am just juggling one child. The other days I am available but I do have to share myself more with my family. They are first. But Mama needs money for them and well, we all have to sacrifice, including my kids (however sad that sounds...they will be ok, I promise)
So let's continue the convo...are you a working mom...either for yourself or for someone else? I know there are a ton of mom's starting businesses out there (we feature them all right here on Ohana Mama!). And while being a mom-entrepreneur sounds awesome, in reality it means late nights, juggling what seems like swords and flames, and being a little nutty while doing it all.
How are you coping? Do you get a mommy's helper to watch or play with your kids while you work? Do you send your kids to preschool for a few hours a day? What do you do to combat the working mom guilt?
Leave a comment and share with us...after all, we're all in this together!
