I am at work right now and lately Ive been getting really stressed out. I work in engineering and everyone is very egotistical and they are always right, everyone else is always wrong. It's a lot of pressure...I work full time and my fiance stays at home with our daughter because I am only an engineering aide and dont get paid enough to pay for daycare, if he worked he would only be making enough to pay for it since he just worked telemarketing before. The joy and sunshine of my life is my 7 month old daughter, but sometimes I get stressed when I get home because there is still so much to get done with housework and stuff and I want to spend quality time with her and we have a tiny apartment that gets sooo cluttered, my partner is wonderful and helps a lot with the housework...but even still its hard for us both to keep up with it. I wonder if she can sense my tension. I need to know how other working mothers put up with the stresses... ↓
we deal with it with wine!! Just kidding, sort of. Seriously though....yea, it's really hard. We're in a similar boat...both of us work, both kids (2 1/2 yr old, 9 mos) are in day care, and we have a small farm....the evening farm chores, dinner deal, bathing time, bedtime routine are absolutely exhausting. It's a guaranteed 3 hrs of work after you leave the office. The fact is, you're not going to be sunshiney every day. All i can say is, remind yourself that you're not going to get everything done every day... it's okay to let the mess pile up every so often, or to give up cooking for a week. And keep in mind that when things get particularly rough...for example, baby becomes very mobile and gets into everything, it's just a phase...it's not forever. With my husband, we sense when the other is bone tired and we try to pick up the slack...most nights we share the duty but sometimes one person just hustles and tackles it all. And when possible, at least once a month, plan a date night....just the two of you. We actually just had a week's vacation w/no kids (my mom took them). Planning it was a HUGE undertaking, but it was worth it. Final thought, when all else fails, pour yourself a glass of wine, and give yourself 5 alone minutes to regroup and clear your mind, then get back to the kid and fiance. ↑
Margie. I don't work away from the home but I am a graduate student and I have to study all day while caring for the munchkin. Plus, I work a few hours a week as a dance instructor and for some crazy reason I volunteered to cater my sister's wedding next week. So... I'm feeling your stress!!! Housework and bills are never ending. Everything is more stressful with a baby especially when adjusting to one income. Some days I don't deal with the stress very well and I just shut down. But I've come to realize that I have to break every task/challenge/frustration into small bits that I can manage for the next 15 minutes and I just keep adding those 15 minutes up until I've gotten through the day. One of the best bits of advice I got is that as a parent at the end of the day you've got to try to be satisfied with "good enough". Is your baby fed, clothed, bathed? Are you fed, clothed and bathed? Can you pay for the basics? It is admirable that you shoulder the burden of your family's finances and it is wonderful that your girlie gets to bond with mom and dad at this early age. It will get easier and you are doing a great job! ↑
It's ture what BeccaBaby1 and J.J. are saying. You just have to take it one day a time, sometimes 15 min. at a time. I work from home and look after my 9 month old and a 10 year old. My DH is a pipefitter and it's extremely difficult and physical job, he's working hard to get ahead in his career. I work 35+hours and it's HARD - working from home is sometimes harder than working from an office - you can never get away. Sometimes when my son goes for a nap, I just sit and put myself in a happy place, even if it's for a few mintues and give myself the "everythign is fine, it could be so much worse" speech. I knows it's cheesy, but it works for me. You are a good mom and you are doing everything you can to make it - keep it up and it will be fine. ↑
I definetly feel your pain!! I went back t work 6 weeks pp and I work full time 12 hour night shifts as an ICU nurse . My husband is a stay at home full time Mr. Mom. He left his job when I went back to work because I am the money maker and it just wasn't an option for us to put ds in daycare. We wanted either myself or him to be the one to watch him. It is definetly stressful having only ONE income, but when I look at ds and see that he is happy and healthy smiling and laughing....that is the only confirmation that I need to know that we are doing the right thing for him (and ourselves). And like J.J. said....wine helps too ;-) Also, I like to reserve a slot of time every night after ds is in bed to take a nice long bubble bath (with a glass of wine) even if the laundry is not done or if there are dirty dishes in the sink! They will still be there when I get out....lol But definetly what helps me is to know that there is no way that everything will be done at the end of each day. There is always tomorrow :-) (((HUGS))) ↑
