The Voice of Mom

More than a year ago, I left my full time job as an associate editor for a major publisher’s school division to be a work at home mom. It was a hard transition. I went from spending 45 to 50 hours a week in my office while my kids went to daycare to full-time mothering … and working … in the middle of summer (who wants to work in summer at all?!?).

Finding a rhythm was a huge challenge that took me months and months. Everything would start going in the right direction and something would upset the process and we’d be back to square one. I was tired, stressed and just not doing the best job that I can do …

But these days, things are going much better. We have developed a flexible rhythm that works for us. I am able to spend time with my children and also get my work done … sometimes at the same time.

So, what have I learned?

1. There is no right way to be a WAHM – I think in some ways, I was looking for the magic method that WAHMs are supposed to follow to be successful. But, as it turns out, there is no one-way to do things. This is a path with many possible routes. You have to find the one that works for you.
2. Work nontraditional hours is a good idea – Work vs. kids. When you work traditional 9-5 hours, those two things seem to always be at odds. They don’t need to be though. Working nontraditional hours such as early mornings before the children wake, late nights and possibly fitting in a few hours during naptime, is a great way to make work fit in with child rearing … And hey, it’s okay to step away from work to enjoy a beautiful day!
3. Nobody is perfect – Sometimes, things don’t go as planned. When faced with an impossible deadline, I might throw on a movie for the kids to buy myself some midday time. Or sometimes, I do walk away from projects to do something with the children instead. Either way, it’s important to remember that no one — yourself included, is perfect.

Are you a WAHM? What have you learned about balancing time? Share in the comments!