5 Ways Being a Working Mom Sucks

As I’ve mentioned many times before, I enjoy being a working mom. Even before I had my daughter, I took an enormous amount of joy in working. There’s a lot to be said in achieving and accomplishing goals that are all mine and mine alone. There is a lot of self-fulfillment for me in working. That said, there are the not so great parts of being a working gal now that I’m a mom.

{ONE}

Sick/Vacation/Holiday Days // Before Chickie, those days were all mine to do with as I pleased. If I wanted to take a personal day to stay home and be a vegetable it was fine. Now? No way. That time all goes to Chickie as back-up. I live in constant fear of having enough sick/vacation/holiday time to use in case Chickie gets sick because let’s face it – toddlers and preschoolers are little carrier monkeys and it will eventually happen that a dreaded sickness will hit. The good thing is that both Michael and I work for the University so we accrue time the same way so there isn’t that inconsistency and both of our bosses are very understanding but, still. The cold reality is that employers nowadays are only sympathetic to a point. Having time available to use is critical in staying out of hot water.

{TWO}

Scheduling Appointments // When your doctor’s office is only open the standard M-F, 8-5 it makes it difficult to squeeze in appointments for myself or Chickie with only an hour lunch. SOOO…therein lies having enough time built up to use because an hour usually isn’t enough time to do it all. It usually takes an hour just to get to my car, pick up Chickie, get there, and wait to be seen let alone go through the actual appointment. 

And don’t even think for a moment that you’re actually eating lunch that day. That's comical.

{THREE}

Day Care // Ay yi yi…where to even start with this one. It’s a whole mixed bag of things: the mommy guilt that someone else is “raising” your child, the fact that no one will ever do a good enough job as you will in taking care of your child and disciplining them the way you want or would, and how on top of it all, it costs a bloody fortune. Day care, while an important necessity, just sucks. Plain and simple.

{FOUR}

Time // There never seems to be enough of it! Both Michael and I get off work at 5 so it’s a mad dash to get Chickie from school, get home to get dinner done, and then have time together before bath and bed at 7:30. You do the math…that’s only a couple of hours of good quality time every night with Chickie. I think we do the best we can but most days, it feels so inadequate and let's not even mention the nights that Chickie gets picked up from school and is in a horrible mood. The witching hour...it just makes everything more difficult and leaves us frustrated. 

{FIVE}

Weekends are a HUGE Energy Drain // Neither Michael nor I are used to running after Chickie all day like she does during the week. Y’all, it’s downright exhausting! It’s also the Catch22 – it’s great to have time with her but by the end of the day, we are wiped out and honestly, the both of us are usually napping during her nap time!

Having said all of this, I wouldn’t trade my decision to work for anything. I know that I’m definitely not stay at home mom material and that I’m a better mom for Chickie when I’m doing things I enjoy and pursuing my own goals/wants/wishes. I just wish there was a better balance to it all. 

What have you found to be your biggest challenges as a working mom?