Over the past decade folks have started to recognize that stay-at-home mom’s are workers too! Once the glue of the family was deemed as jobless and lazy, but that is a thing of the past. Today’s stay-at-home mom is empowered and is credited as nurturing the world’s future generations.
However, a new type of stay-at-home mom is emerging. The stay-at-home mom that not only takes care of the kids and household duties, but also runs a business from home. I fall into that category and I feel like there is not enough information and support for these type of moms.
A stay-at-home working moms schedule is often not conducive to a child’s schedule. In my case, the most important time of day is the morning, however that is always the most demanding time of day as a mom. Not only does my little munchkin wake up full of energy and bouncing off the wall for mom’s attention, but it is also breakfast time. I often feel like I’m juggling food in one hand and a mouse in the other. Learning how to balance working and being a stay-at-home is a thing I struggle with on a daily basis.
There is a lot of guilt that comes from being a mom that runs a business from home. When I’m in a midst of something work related I will often be plagued with the nagging question, “Am I neglecting my little one”. I think that, “I could be reading to her now, playing with her, teaching her something new” etc. I know I need to work in order for my daughter to have a happy lifestyle, but I still feel guilty a lot.
Then it comes to the housework. Finding the time to complete my work and take care of my daughter is somewhat achievable, but my house at the end of the day looks like a cyclone hit it. When do I find the time to clean the house? Usually, when Dada is home I get some time to get up and fix things or at the wee hours of the morning if I am not trying to catch up on work!
Lastly, personal time. Now if you are a mom you are probably thinking, “What mom has personal time?”. Is this even possible? Well, no at least not for me. My personal time comes when my daughter is sleeping next to me and I get to catch up on work 🙂
Is this a rant. No, it’s more like and ode to moms like me.
In the end, I would never trade my life for another. For all the stress that comes with working at home and taking care of my daughter I appreciate every second I get to see her grow. Yes, some days I feel like I am going to pull out my hair, but I have the satisfaction of knowing I will never miss a milestone or an important moment in my daughters life. Could life get better!
What challenges do you face as a stay-at-home mom or a stay-at-home-working mom? Do you have any tips you can share?
