The Working Mom

The hard part about being a working parent I find is that you have to exist in two completely different worlds on a daily basis. There are two different sets of rules and two totally different people making the demands. It's the daily shift from professional to mommy that I find really hard. In fact, many days, its totally frustrating. There are so many very important responsibilities that I have at my job that involve lots of money, time and people. I am trusted to accomplish these things and my coworkers have a lot of faith in me to deliver. And I typically do deliver. Surely, this is proof that I have something resting between my two ears. Then I come home and find that the simplest of tasks as a mother leave me looking for the Cliff's Notes to this book called Mommyhood.

For instance, how is it that I spend my working days researching and checking facts to guarantee medical accuracy for my company, but I can't manage to cut more than two of Sam's fingernails a day? How have I reorganized spreadsheets, filing systems and work systems, but I can't seem to decide which combination of baby foods he should eat at each meal or a method to keep him from standing up in the bath tub? I spend my days working with customers, convincing them to invest in our product and my nights kicking myself because once again I stepped on the talking Baby Einstein mirror on the floor backing out of my almost sleeping baby's room. I then stand frozen in a dumbfounded trance of horror as the contraption, that by the way he never plays with, yells "blue hippo" or "red crab" followed by a giggle. That toy is laughing at me. I know it is.

While we're at it, I missed the part of the parent policy manual that explained in detail how cleaning out ears and changing diapers was realistically supposed to happen after 7 months old when they are wiggling out of your grasp constantly. At work, when I'm not on top of things, I throw out buzz words like "reworking" "mutually beneficial" and "maximum impact" in order to buy more time. When things fall apart at home, I'm throwing finger puffs and baby mum mums as a peace offering to compensate for torturing my child when his head gets stuck in the head hole of his shirt and he can't see for five seconds (by the way - Why does that make me feel so guilty? I'm not suffocating him on purpose).

Now, I have no experience as a stay at home mom, so please don't judge me on these thoughts. I would imagine there are some real benefits to having grown up time during the day. I have no idea how you women stay home all day in this bubble of incompetance with the constant feeling that once you figure it out...it will change. Hats off to you ladies. Some mornings I feel like looking at Sam, who is usually objecting to something I've done to him, and saying, "You do realize I have a college degree don't you? I mean, someone thought I was intelligent at some point." Of course Sam will no doubt answer with the usual grits filled raspberry that will force me back into the bedroom to find something professional to wear that isn't christened by Quaker Oats.

Here's to my working mommy friends!
Rach

Comments

Rachel Adair said…
I have to say that I admire working moms because I don't think I could do it. And it doesn't matter if you stay at home or if you work, there are always those moments that make you feel like a complete idiot. There are days that I call Nick and tell him what Angie is or is not doing and that I feel like she is a newborn again because I am at such a loss as to what to do. Eventually we will all figure it out. Don't worry, I am sure that having his shirt over his head for 5 seconds won't send him to the therapist's couch at the ripe old age of 5. Cut yourself some slack. Sam would not be the happy little boy he is without a great mom like you!!!
Heather said…
I admire you and other moms who can do both! You are doing a great job and sam is a blessed little man to have you and his daddy as parents!
Anonymous said…
I am blown away by how you also have the time to do this!!?? but the main thing i just dont understand...is you give the poor little man GRITS????? dont you love him??!!!!!xxxxxx Nicky

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