Tag Archives: Work Mom Balance

A Mother’s Worst Enemy is Another Mother?

Posted in My Mama Friends, Time Management, Work Mom Balance by

“I hate these full-time working moms”

One sentence.  One thought – made by one mother about another mother.

Last I checked, we are living in the year 2013.  We live in a country were we value freedom of speech and as tragic as it is to admit, this sentence – which appeared as a Facebook status – is the opinion of a mother who has the right to express this opinion.

However, this one simple ignorant sentence is explosive and hurtful to working mothers, stay-at-home mothers, part-time working mothers, small mothers, tall mothers, white mothers, black mothers, any and every mother. Why?

Because that one sentence pits us against each other.

I am not friends with the mother who posted this comment.  I only know that her statement bothered a friend of mine.  I am taking the time to write about this today because I want to implore to you (not just mothers, everyone) to do the following:

MH910216391Support each other and the choices we make. Set aside your jealousy of what you can and can’t accomplish and learn from each other.  You are the people who are guiding and teaching our future leaders.  Your actions mold these little people who become the big people who will lead our country.

I’ve written this post a number of times since beginning this blog.  I have learned that sometimes the most arrogant people are the loudest and most uniformed.  I feel sorry for the person who wrote that post on Facebook and I do hope that she – whatever  her situation may be – is content with her life.

To all the other mothers that are reading this post, I commend you for being fair and honest and human with each other. Share this with post with those you know and love and respect and show your support of each other’s choices.

You Made Me Smile

Posted in My Mama Friends, Time Management, Work Mom Balance by

photo(30)Mornings, as many of you can relate, are crazy and hectic.  Who wants what for lunch – Who can’t find their shoes – Who is supposed to be where, when.  AND my personal favorite – “please sign these forms” – as they walk out the door.  But the minute the cherubs are on the bus, there is a sense of calm and peace.  Most mornings, as the children set foot on the bus, I am peeling away from the bus stop en route to work in hopes I am only a “little” late (please note, I park safely ahead of the stop so as not to violate any laws).

One recent morning, as my oldest was about to climb aboard the bus, she froze.   “It’s gym and I am wearing boots.  Mommy Help!”

Instantly, I was in crisis mode. I sprang towards home on foot in very high heel boots and ran.  My neighbor and fellow parent seeing my ridiculous shoes, immediately followed me.  In record time, I ran inside, grabbed the sneakers.  Between my home and the corner where the bus waited, my friend relayed the sneakers to the stop just in time.  Problem was averted and I was delighted.

So on this particular morning, I followed the bus to the light instead of being way ahead of the big yellow bus.   As I pulled up to the light along side of the bus, I could see my cherubs wildly waving and blowing kisses at me.  Without much thought,  I waved and blew kisses back with as much enthusiasm as I was receiving.  The light turned greened and I sent my last kiss and pulled away.   I drove to work that morning, sipping my coffee and listening to my radio and was content.

When I arrived at work – I found this message waiting for me:

“You made me smile the entire drive to work this morning. I was behind you when your Mommy love was showing with the waves and blown kisses. You and I played cat and mouse the way until you broke free and I had to turn. I kept waving at you each time we passed but you were in your mental zone. Mommy hat off, driver and marketer hat coming on. Have a great day my friend. You are an awesome Mom.”

A friend and fellow mom was stopped at that light behind me and had sent the email when she arrived to her office.   I was absolutely touched.  When we met, her youngest and my oldest were in Kindergarten together.  She must have seen that deer-in-the-headlight look on my face that day and took me under wing explaining half-day schedules, bus procedures and everything since.  I always looked up to her as that mom who always knew the perfect thing to say and could juggle even the toughest of schedules.

And with a simple quick email, she made ME smile.   I am very fortunate to have such caring and wonderful women to call friends – Women who don’t judge and don’t gripe; Always supportive and always there.

Working Moms Love the “F” Word

Posted in Time Management, Work Mom Balance by

MM900178212Call us what you like, but when it comes down to juggling work and children and family and life in general, the average working mom LOVES the “F” word.  By definition, it means Capable of being bent repeatedly without injury or damage, and my friends it is the word that makes us happy campers.

MM900283480Alright, enough teasing.  I am talking about Flexibility.  Without it, our worlds as executives and nurses and teachers and mothers and wives and single mothers would be unattainable.  In fact, I think it’s safe to say most of us would take flexibility over money any day.   For those of us who do have it, we do not take it lightly.

Case in point:  Our after school situation has been temporarily changed and leaves us without anyone to greet our cherubs off the bus two of the five days of the week.  While in theory, I am sure they would be perfectly capable of staying home for the 90 minutes in between their arrival and my arrival, I am not one of those moms who has perfect children AND I know what my children can get in to so arrangements need to be made.

Without grief of issue, I inform my superiors at the office that I need to leave early from time to time and that I plan to make up my work after the children are fast asleep.  Sure, I would love to watch a movie with Hubby or catch up on the latest Book Club selection, but life is all about give and take and I am willing to give and take on this issue.

Now don’t get me wrong.  This is not an option for everyone and there are some careers that cannot allow for this flexibility. (I am a Marketing/PR Manager and most – if not all – of my work is done on a computer.) It is for this very reason that I always find myself “working” or “developing” new projects or programs.  I suppose subconsciously, I am forever proving that I am worthy of this flexibility I have been given.  I guess only time will tell.  One day, I will not be needed to greet my smiling (sometimes bickering if they are seated together) children get off the bus.

Until then, however I cherish the situation that I find myself and love my favorite “F” word.

If this is 2013, Hold On Tight!

Posted in Life Lessons, Time Management, Work Mom Balance by

Today seemed very much like a Monday, despite being Wednesday.  I was up very early and getting a head start on 2013.   I’ve made several casual resolutions (letting go of negativity, eating healthy and exploring new professional avenues).  However, no sooner did I get into the groove of the morning routine, did I realize this was going to be a tough day.

At class, I lacked any vigor and strength as I pulled the ropes and did my push-ups with a frightful looking reflection coming from the imposing mirrors.

At home, my Cherubs had papers that needed my John Hancock despite my repeated nagging over winter break to give me anything that needed my attention then and NOT the morning classes resume.

At the bus stop, I learned that one of my neighbor’s experienced a loss in the family.

At the office, I was greeted with several condescending emails from colleagues who apparently did not have “be nicer to the human race” on their list of resolutions.

And just as I was barely treading water in my sea of emails and work,  my coworker was informed of the loss of a very close friend.  YUCK. Just Yuck.  And did I mention this happened all before 12pm?

I spent most of the day numb and sour.  However, walking back from a late lunch, a well dressed man asked me for 50 cents.

“I need lunch and I was handing out resumes all day,” he called out.

I walked over and gave him $2.  I normally do not respond to such requests, but a strange force compelled me to help him with his request.

When I returned to my desk, I decided to give this day one more shot.  I called, instead of emailing, some of those who had emailed in the morning and found their demeanor to be pleasant and opposite from their morning messages.  I plowed through some work and moved things along.  Soon, the work day was over and I looked forward to my ride home.

photo(10)As I walked in the door, I was greeted with dinner cooking on the stove,  cookies baking in the oven and my children playing nicely with homework finished all under the supervision of my Hubby aka, Captain Multitasker (he was working from home today).

Needless to say, today brought lows, highs and everything in between and it’s just day two of 365.

Hold on Tight.  It’s 2013.

If Not Now, When?

Posted in I am Thankful Today For, Life Lessons, Time Management, Work Mom Balance by

Snow is falling on this day, the 29th of December 2012.  There are just two days until 2013 arrives and all of its promise and hopes.  But before we take the leap into 2013, I wanted to take a moment to look back on 2012.

To say it has been quite a year is an understatement.PicMonkey Collage

In preparing to write this piece, I took a look back at what consumed my blog in 2012.  And it quickly became clear that life is never boring and quite honestly, these are the days in which they should be never boring – and for that, I am grateful.

Milestones were plentiful – First Communion, First Day of Kindergarten, First time on national TV and First time in Ireland.

Mishaps were plentiful too – Missed birthday calls, broken promises and failed resolutions.

Laughter was abound – Late night with girlfriends, Patch blog taking a life of its own and kids saying the darn-est thing.

Sadness was present – Hurricanes, shootings and lost opportunities.

Kindness and goodness abound – Homes open to friends and family, visits with soup made with love and encouraging words when they were needed most.

In the closing months of 2012, much occurred that lent to feeling that anything pre-October was a lifetime ago.  Heartbreak, disbelief and grief on a national level impacted my every day life and that of my family.  But through it all, writing my posts helped me sort through my feelings and allowed me to place things in perspective.

To 2012, I thank you for all the love and laughter, grief and sadness, lessons and experiences.  You were a year of learning and growing.

To 2013, I welcome you with open arms and an open mind.  I hope I can retain the passion and commitment to fill the pages of this blog with posts and stories that will continue to connect me with those who help me create these posts and those who are kind enough to read them.

Because if not now, when?