Being a WAHM Sucks
You might notice this blog hasn’t been updated regularly. That’s because I’m a work at home mom. I work at home. I have two kids under three. My life is insane. I love it, but sometimes it’s just too full so things get pushed to the back burner. This blog, unfortunately is one of them.
But here’s the problem with being a work at home mom:
- I wake up with the boys around 7am. I actively parent (and I mean actively) all day long.
- The boys have overlapping naps for maybe thirty minutes - just enough time to respond to a few emails.
- Both boys are asleep in bed by 8pm, and I sit down to work…until 11pm or midnight.
Sounds great right? Being home with the boys all day is great. Being a freelance writer who can work literally anywhere, anytime is great, too. But trying to do everything all at once is really challenging.
Because I work at night after the boys are in bed, there are a few things that simply don’t get done around here. During the day a toddler and infant and working nights prevents me from taking care of:
- laundry
- picking up the toys
- baking
- uploading pictures
- watching television
- painting my toenails
- putting away clothes
- cleaning up the kitchen
- returning phone calls
- updating baby books
- reading books for fun
- etc…
Since I must work frantically all evening, all “normal” evening activities must be done while my boys are awake. So that means I’m trying to do two or more things at once any given day, and my house is constantly filthy and cluttered.
And, of course, I’m not spending as much dedicated time with them as I’d like, which was my whole reason to quit teaching for a year to work at home. So is it worth it? At this exact moment, I’m not exactly sure…
You’re definitely not alone. I think that those who don’t work from home have the assumption that us WAHMs sit around and watch television all day long.
I understand how you feel! Your attention is constantly torn from one item to the next and you’ve got to act fast to get anything done.
Have you considered hiring a virtual assistant to do the mundane work tasks you need to do? Or, do you have a relative or close friend who could watch the kids for a couple of hours a week?
If you’re anything like me, when I get a couple of hours to myself, I am the most productive person on earth!
I hope things get less stressful for you
- Kristine
Comment by Kristine | December 14, 2007
My boys do spend some time with my retired parents (they are there today), but somehow I have a hard time getting started on work on those days. I tend to be distracted by the grocery store and, at least this month, the endless cycles of Christmas shopping and wrapping. I’m bound and determined to do work today though. Here I go!
Comment by Rebecca | December 18, 2007
Hi Rebecca,
I enjoy your posts on DP forums and had to pop over here to see why being a WAHM sucks. LOL! Sometimes it does. But to give you some perspective, trust me when I tell you no matter how hard it seems at the moment, or how stressed you sometimes feel, staying at home with your babies is a decision you will never regret.
I was sorta forced into it when we learned our first baby was actually two…and for me to go back to work to pay for daycare for twins was financially ridiculous. Four years later we had another daughter and by then there was no way I wanted to go back to work.
In those days, there was no internet (GASP!) so I made a little extra money with home parties of one sort or another. Hubby stayed with the girls, I got a night out once or twice a week…it was a good situation for us.
Bottom line…I have a very close relationship with all three of my daughters, my baby girl is now 22 and the twins are 26 and not a day goes by that I’m not grateful for being home with them as they grew up.
Hang in there, sweetie, and cherish every moment of their young lives…one day, far sooner than you’d like to think, they’ll be in school all day and you’ll have all the time you need to write and clean house. After that, it’s just a blink or two and they’re grown and on their own.
Warmest regards,
Honey
Comment by Honey Wesley | January 3, 2008
Thanks Honey,
It’s nice to hear another person’s perspective. I left my teaching job to stay home, and I do love being with the boys. I’m hoping to stay home another year, but we’ll have to see if it’s financial possible. We’re still not sure this year is…LOL
Comment by Rebecca | January 3, 2008