Working mother blues....

You know how sometimes things your kids say just hit you...like a ton of bricks? well, that happened to me last night.

Molly: Mommy, I go to school on Saturday.

Me: No, sweetie you don't have school on Saturday.

Molly: Mommy, do we get to hang out on Saturday? you and me?

Me (holding back a tear and a chuckle for the use of this new phrase): Of course we will hang out on Saturday!

Molly: ok, good! Mommy let's hang out and go to the zoo!

Watch out world, Molly's making plans. She's got her Saturday all planned out. And then I think about how the weekends are really where the majority of our time is spent together. While I trot off to work everyday Molly goes to daycare. Ugh....I really hate the word daycare....so we call it school.

Molly loves school. Mommy loves Molly's school. All is good. BUT.....there is always going to be that twinge of guilt because I don't get to spend as much time as I would like with her.

Sometimes I am mad about this because why can't I be a stay at home mom?. But then I realize that I am defined as a mother, but I am also defined by my career. I would not be a good or happy mom if I stayed home. I really need to be thankful because I have the best of both worlds. I'm not a SAHM or a WOHM, but I am a "WMWAFS" -WORKING MOTHER WITH A FLEXIBLE SCHEDULE". I totally made my own stand 6 years ago when I quit the design firm I was working for to go out on my own. Jack was 4 months old and I needed that flexibility. It was scary to take that leap, but it was so necessary not only because I was a mother now but also to grow into my own person. But that's a story for another blog post.

When Jack was little I took Monday's off to spend with him and picked him up everyday at 3:00 from Mother's Day Out. With Molly I was able to bring her to the office with me until she was 6 months old!

Perks of office life for a baby

Great napping place.

There are always people who want to hold you.

Happy as a calm. Good times at the office.

Then after that I picked her up everyday at 3:00 from MDO. Then came the need for full time childcare. For the last 2 years Molly has been at 3 different "schools" (long story) and she has loved each one of them. I have the flexibility to leave work early and pick her up, but I also have it covered so that I can work when I need to work and not worry about summer break or fall break. And because I do office with family I am able to pick Jack up from school everyday at 3:00 and bring him to the office with me.

Now that I think about it....I would say I have it pretty good and I'm happy with that.

The last three years have just flown by in the blink of an eye and I wish I could just freeze time. Just for a little bit. Just so we can have some more conversations about "hanging out" together.