- A regular and consistent schedule.
- My paycheck.
- Quiet time in my office each morning.
- Intellectual, thought-provoking conversations. With adults.
- Recognition for a job well done.
- Wearing nice clothes and jewelry.
- Juicy office gossip. (Come on, admit it, you'd miss it too!)
- Alone time at lunch.
- Having Connor at daycare (structured activities and learning, playtime with his friends, socializing with the other mothers, etc).
- Being able to blame my dirty house on my busy job.
- Shooting the bull with colleagues.
- Constructive criticism. All I get these days are whines and complaints.
- My smaller waistline (OK, this has nothing to do with work. But I still miss it.)
Things I do NOT miss about working full-time:
- Traffic.
- Work stress. (I have enough home stress as it is.)
- Frantically running errands on the weekends because I didn't have enough time during the week.
- Long commute.
- Office politics.
- Playing paper-rock-scissors with Jeff to see who would stay home with a sick kid.
- Juggling my hectic work schedule when I lost said game of paper-rock-scissors.
- Waking up to an alarm clock.
- The dreaded late night or weekend phone calls at home when things at the office went wrong.
- All-day meetings.
- Feeling guilty for missing work when my kids are sick.
- Feeling guilty for missing my kids when I'm at work.
Isn't it interesting how every important choice we make in life seems to have a long list on either side of the pros and cons list? Things would be simpler if one side were empty. No such luck.
ReplyDeletethere are still lots of times i miss something about working. probably the biggest for me is a feeling of independence -- it's HARD being financially dependent on someone else, especially after spending many years being able to support your self. here's my hint for you -- find SOME activity that provides either care for your kids while you meet with other moms OR is something you can do together -- join a local "MOM's" Club, find a Bible Study group (mine has child care), do Kindermusik, do "baby and me yoga".
ReplyDeleteand, in many ways it does get easier when they are in school (you don't have to drag them to the grocery!), but then they start the after-school activities, turning you schedule inside out at every turn.....
call me if you ever want to chat. while i was never home with a baby, it was an awakening when i suddenly became home with a 4 year old who had been in school 5 days a week......
I think that this posts reflects the difficulty faced by modern day women trying to " do it all". Which ever choice, stay-at-home MOM OR working woman requires sacrifice! My life was somewhat reversed from yours, I was stay-at-home MOM first, and then working woman. That may be easier b/c I wasn't faced with the difficulty of giving up a paycheck to stay-at-home. I do remember times of doubting my worth since I was "just a stay-at-home MOM", but now I realize what a GIFT I was given to be able to spend those years being available to all four of you kids! The years pass SO QUICKLY and while I can now work all I want, I cannot relive the times spent with all of you children! Priceless!
ReplyDeleteThese are reflections from a "older woman"!
Love, MOM
I LOVE your Mom's post! So, so, so true!
ReplyDeleteJust remember on the days when you want to pull your hair out, scream at the top of your lungs and want to hide out in a cave, think back to your "things I do NOT miss about working". And that should make you feel better!
You are doing an awesome job! Love you girl!
That was a great post. A good reminder that their is no "perfect" situation and their are pros and cons to everything. I loved what your mom said - your time with your kids is priceless. I bet when the kids are grown you won't be saying...wow-I sure wish I had kept working. But I wonder if you had kept working...would you one day say...I sure do wish I had more time with my kids when they were little. As I'm thinking about the possibility of staying home next year I often find myself thinking during the day about the things I will miss about working. But I more often think about how I'd like to be home with Jackson. :-) I just wish you were closer so we could have some play dates and "thought provoking conversation."
ReplyDeleteThis post is very thought-provoking for me. I'm seriously considering staying at home. I keep thinking about how work just doesn't even compare to spending time with Alex. I definitely want to make sure I weigh the pros and cons before I make the leap, though. I'd love to get your perspective.
ReplyDeleteOkay, Lauri. Your mom has made me cry twice today. Her comment on my blog was a complete surprise and just warmed my heart. Her post in here... priceless. Please pass on my appreciation. And, tell her I'll be watching for her New Year's Resolution! =)
ReplyDeleteTanna -- I'll pass that along to my mom! I'd be thrilled and pleasantly surprised if she started a blog, so thanks for your influence! And she's completely right about your "wise counsel" for all of us moms...thanks so much!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Lauri!! Ya'll are wise counsel for me. I'll look forward to your Mom's blog!!
ReplyDelete