Half and Half

Some folks think that being a working mom is like taking a vacation from your responsibilities each day. Those people are ignorant. Sorry not sorry, but that's the truth. The reason I work is to take care of my responsibilities... and because Dora marathons would put me in Ridgeview for sure. I digress... vamanos!!


One of the hardest realities in my life is that I am only able to give a percentage of myself to my family and the rest goes to work, which leaves little to nothing for "me time". I get that I choose that path each day, but I just want to clarify that being a working mother isn't all about lunch dates and getting to put on real clothes all the time.


*Sidebar: if I were a SAHM, I would have the fiercest lineup of yoga pants and "workout" tanks ever! Buttons are made by Satan himself. LulaRoe leggings are made by the chubby little hands of baby angels in Heaven. Shout out to all the moms who understand what I'm sayin'! #stretchypantsaretheonlypants
#lularoe *


When I am at the office being a boss (or just trying to be as good at it is as my mother - she is a little Einstein that I will never compare to), I am constantly thinking about and handling things for my kids. I'll interrupt an appointment to take a call from what could be a school calling, only to find Robot Julie on the other end trying to sell me a new home security system. {Julie, if you're out there, I owe you a throat punch.} I organize sports schedules from the same email that I help people who haven't filed tax returns in five years because they are scared of the twisted system we have in this country called the IRS (a post for another day... and perhaps a different soapbox).


I pay bills, plan dinner, and make grocery lists all from the same place where I give a full work week of "paid work" as well. I get the minions ready for school/daycare each day and make sure they get there on time (most of the time) and pick at least one of them up after work each day on the way home. I stress. All day. Err day. Don't get me wrong, my husband is a working dad and definitely pulls his weight in the home department as well. I just feel sometimes as though my world is going to implode if my kid forgets to brush his teeth one more time before he goes to school. Dads don't stress about that kind of stuff. They think "no big deal, he can brush them after school". Meanwhile, I've already had a daymare about how my child is going to be ostracized and have no friends because he is the smelly kid in school. Not to mention his teacher may call DFCS because not brushing your teeth and not wearing underwear (kid goes commando occasionally, unbeknownst to me of course) is typically frowned upon in the world of child rearing. The stress wears me down, but at the end of the day it's what makes me a good mom. If I didn't stress I wouldn't care, and that would be a shame.


Being a mom is often times a thankless job, but when my kids are in college and they aren't whiny assholes who cry and refuse to go to class (that I am paying for) when their president team didn't get picked... that will be enough payment for me.


Being a working mom is a decision that I stand behind for me and my family. It isn't right for everyone and we should all be a little more supportive and a little less Judgy Judy when someone doesn't make the same choices as we do. Are her kids loved? Fed? Clothed? Go to school? Not abused or in danger? Brush their teeth most days of the week? Then back off, because she. is. winning.

​*Second sidebar: Judge Judy is my idol. She gives zero F's and takes ish from no one.* #judgejudy #iknowiabusehashtags


Work/home life balance is something I must find. I'll add that to my list of things to improve on.