Wednesday, February 24, 2010

working mom


Okay, yes, all moms are working moms.

It is hard work, whichever way you slice it. Lately, I have been reflecting on howt how much I have been able to let go of and not feel guilty about.

This has been what's working for me lately:

1. My car is a mess inside. It has not been cleaned since, oh, I don't know when. But frankly, I don't care. I am pretty close to calling John the car detailing guy and just letting him go to town with it.

2. Do work at home; do home at work. I do this all the time. Breaks at work are good for scheduling kid appointments, ordering clothes from Lands End for the kids, or a million other things. On the flip side, I email myself work documents to edit, letters to write at home. It is just easier. I just need to accomplish a certain number of things and get them ticked off my list. Where I do it is sometimes besides the point.

3. My only goal each morning is to get to the gym if it is Tuesday or Thursday AND get Sophie and myself out the door before her school bell rings. My black, grey, brown dress pants are my godsends.

4. Have some secret weapons: mine are Flo (our housekeeper), an awesome daycare, Sophie's french tutor, a husband who is a good cook, and my debit card. If I see something that I know we will need, I buy it. I don't waste time debating little things like buying kids' birthday cards, socks, makeup, or stamps on the fly.

5. I can get a lot done while my kids are in the bath.

6. I don't worry about how Sophie and Fynn will turn out by being in daycare. They are good little creatures who have learned a lot of stuff at daycare. Not all good, but on balance, the goods are still ahead.

7. We live it up on the weekends. We've been known to take our kids to some pretty cool places on the weekend....indoor play gyms, water parks, Tube Town, movies. I don't think it is parental guilt that causes us to want to do this, but just the desire to make those moments really memorable.

8. The library is my friend.

9. I'm not going to miss out on any of it (wherever possible), but I can call in reinforcements. Today I was not able to take Sophie to ballet because I had back to back meetings all day, so Vic took her. But tomorrow I asked my boss if he could rearrange the order of our management meeting agenda so I could go to Sophie's school for her little mini concert and math workshop tomorrow morning. I'm not scared to push it a bit at work, but they know they get 110% of me.

I enjoy all of these hats. It's a lot of juggling, but the balls generally stay up in the air.

2 comments:

Vic said...

Yes, you are awesome. And I love every little bit of you for it.

Katy said...

you are awesome.. just like Vic says. :)