Sometimes I have to fight not to feel guilty about working outside of our home. When I was a newlywed, I claimed to want to be a stay at home mom. I thought that was what you were supposed to want and never considered that it might not be for me. Once we were expecting our first baby, we began to seriously consider our options for childcare. In all honesty, we couldn’t have afforded for me to stay at home after a few weeks, but it’s one of those conversations you have anyway. One day, Josh looked me square in the face and said: “You don’t want to be a stay at home mom.” It’s crazy to me now, but it took him saying it out loud to realize he was right.
I love having children and the time we spend together is cherished. I found maternity leave to be magical, even with the stress and the crying and the not sleeping. I have taken an increasing amount of time off with each of the girls and there was that little stab of guilt on the first day back to work each time. Still, the reality is that I love my job. I love adult conversation. I love using my brain for things other than nursery rhymes and blog posts. I love leaving the house every day. I also love returning home at the end of every day.
I’ve been back at work for almost a month and the separation gets a little easier every day. Polly is thriving and her newly established schedule is a relief for us all. The big girls are doing better because I’m cooking dinner and cleaning house and remembering to check their Thursday folders on Thursday. It’s definitely different, but I feel more like myself and my girl isn’t lacking for love during the day.
We might not all return to work for the same reasons, but we do have one thing in common — the transition from full-time mom to working mom is hard. Without the proper preparation and support, it can lead to guilt, frustration, and regret. A few weeks ago, I asked you to share tips and tricks on returning to the work force and your ideas were so good! I’m sharing my first post as a contributor to the Birmingham Moms Blog today and your suggestions are the star of the show. Check out this post full of ideas sure to make your first day back less stressful.
