One Secret to a Working Mom Success: Make Family Events More Enjoyable With Friends

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Better Together: Why Inviting Another Family Makes Activities More Fun #FamilyFun Sometimes family activities can feel like another item on the to-do list. However, doing those activities with another family makes them more fun! Whether it’s a trip to an amusement park , a visit to the local pool , or trip to a pumpkin patch , including another family can multiply the fun in amazing ways. One of my favorite moms to collaborate with is my friend, Ayana Ledford who's pictured above with her daughter Sahar. We have done all of the things listed as seemingly random examples above and here is how including her and her daughter (and sometimes her son too) has made the events more fun. On the date above, Ayana almost left the venue because parking was a nightmare. That said, she hung in there and we would up having a great time!
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Returning to Work After the Holidays!!!

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Along with my holiday bliss I enjoyed a seemingly endless supply of dishes, laundry, and diapers. I thought that I would spend my holiday time relaxing and playing with the baby. I did some of that, but I was also REALLY busy!

I quickly learned that when you're at home everyday there is no relief.  Instead, there is always something to do.

I'm not whining, too much. I just thought that being home would be like hitting the lottery.  I thought that my presence alone would create order and peace in my house.

Was I high???

Apparently my presence at home just disrupted the apple cart.  The baby was confused.  She liked having me home, but having me here made her unruly and disruptive at bedtime.  All of the work we did in the previous six months was unraveled.  And we were left with a whining, crying mess, previously known as our sweetheart.

She also had vaccinations last week.  I thought that having the vaccinations while I was off was compassionate.  It may have been, but it also was a buzz kill! The 15 month shots are no joke.  Afterwards, the baby didn't like me, the nurse or the doctor.  She was uncomfortable, disagreeable and hostile--for days.

All we could do was wait, hope, and pray. 

While we did all of those things, my sister sneezed, the baby got sick, and I got the sniffles. 

Could I have planned a worse time off???

Maybe that is exactly the point.  Life happens when you are making other plans.  So even though I had plans to "maximize" my time off I had to give in to the rhythm of life. 

Life is messy. It is disruptive.  And it can be LOUD.  During my holiday I experienced each moment instead of over thinking how I needed to capitalize on it. I had no choice but to be.

Upon reflection, I think that being a working mom is than being a stay-at-home mom.  I know that it is sacrilege to admit this, but it was true for me.

We'll see how my thoughts evolve over the next year though. The truth depends on the light.  Until then, my hat is off to my stay-at-home mom sisters.  And I am retreating into the email hell that I call my work life.  I am sure that in a month or so I will long to be at home every day.  However, now I am grateful that I have a place to go and a wonderful woman to watch my daughter while I am there.

Does that make me a bad mom?!



(The photos are the baby and Andre at the doctor and me and the baby at home afterwards. We went through it last week.  This week I am at the "party" called work.  Whoo Hoo!!!)

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Comments

Chasing Joy said…
I think Stay at home moms definately have it hard. They don't get a break or lunch hour and there is often a toddler or baby screaming at them from the other side of the batheroom door.
1:31 PM
K. Elizabeth @ YUMMommy said…
Being a SAHM or WAHM isn't for everyone. And that doesn't make you a bad mom because you realize it's not for you and your family.
2:25 PM
anthony stemke said…
You thought that your presence alone would create...?
...welcome to reality.
Sometimes it is great to return to work just to recover.
4:46 PM
Chaton T. Turner said…
Anthony, Clearly I needed a reality and humilty check! It's harder to play Wonder Woman at home. It's much easier at work! :-)
5:15 PM
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