If you are a Stay-at-Home-Mom and there are days that you feel you have done nothing more than wipe snot from noses, clean spilled juice from the floor and fold more laundry than you would care to admit – you are not alone.
If you feel lonely, isolated and still not sure of where you “fit” in, especially since you’ve given up your career and now find yourself meandering through toward a different path – you are not alone.
If you have second-guessed yourself on a constant basis as well as your choices and the way you parent – you are not alone.
If you have felt mommy guilt for losing your patience too quickly with your kids or for snapping at your husband for no real reason because you feel like you are losing your mind – you are not alone.
If the cashier lady at Target is the only face-to-face communication you receive in a day and you find yourself jumping on Twitter to get some adult conversation – you are not alone.
If you are a Work-Out-of-the-Home Mom and there are days you cry at your desk missing your babies – you are not alone.
If you wake up at the crack of dawn to ensure you get to work on time while wrangling your kids in a sheer panic to get them out the door as well – you are not alone.
If you have a brutal commute with no end in sight and you wonder how the hell you got here – you are not alone.
If you drop your kids off at day-care and think about the little time you will have with your kids while pondering the idea that there has to be an easier way to make this thing work – you are not alone.
If you fight with your husband as to who will take a day off from work because your kid is sick – you are not alone.
If you are a Work-at-Home-Mom and there are moments when you feel like there is absolutely no balance in your life – you are not alone.
If your laptop has landed in your kitchen and has since become your home office – you are not alone.
If you feel torn between trying to be the perfect mom while maintaining a job and doing both simultaneously and feel as though you are failing at both miserably – you are not alone.
If you feel as though you are losing your mind trying to squeeze in conference calls between play-dates and answering emails during snack time – you are not alone.
If you don’t know when your real work day begins or ends and you still don’t know what the hell you are making for dinner each night – you are not alone.
*I am a mother and I have been all three of the above roles and I can tell you that not one of these jobs is easier than the other – they all present their own set of challenges because they all have the word MOM in the title.
And lately, I’ve been feeling so many of those things but you know what’s helping me?
This little ol’ blog.
Because it’s here, in this space, I am surrounded by a supportive community of women and mothers that remind me every single day – *I AM NOT ALONE.*
I am so glad I read this today. Thank you for writing it.
Love this post!!
I’m actually not any of those – I’m a working mom whose husband is a stay at home dad. Which means I’m a mom who occasionally feels mommy guilt for knowing I couldn’t stay at home with my kid when other women would choose that over working any day. And it means I feel mommy guilt for still not having enough patience to deal with him sometimes. But I’m still not alone 😉
Mommy guilt = you are NOT alone. 😉
Spot on! I have done it all-work FT, work Ft & PT, work PT, be a SAHM, now I am a a WAHM. Guilt just shifts…much like your body does when it ages!
God I love you! This is WHY I do this. To remind myself that I am NOT ALONE!!!!!! Thank you. I really needed this tonight.
I love this post! During the past few weeks, I’ve re-entered the work force after being a SAHM for 7 years. I’m working part-time, while my daughter is in school. On the one hand, I love it! It’s so much fun to be using my brain and dealing with adults again. But it’s very hard too! My commute is 1.5 hours/day roundtrip. I don’t have time to even grab lunch. When I pick up my daughter, I have to run her around to her activities and make sure she does her homework. I then have to cook dinner. And I still have to run all the errands! I have no idea how to fit it all in! But I still LOVE working and banking my paychecks, even if they’re relatively small!
Cheryl,
It’s amazing that whatever decisions we make always have some sort of impact on our life directly because we have that word MOM on our resume. Thanks for sharing mama!!
This is beautiful, thanks so much for sharing…you’ve touched me and I’m sure so many other momma’s out there!
Amber
What a great reminder! I needed that today!
Love this post Heather. I often feel pulled, torn, and guilty…and I know I’m not alone. Thank you. XO
WOW… did I need to read this today!
So glad i read this!! I’ve been losing my mind quite often now with two tiny tots at home! Thanks a lot!
I couldn’t agree more – I’ve done all 3 and now am a SAHM and all 3 can be very difficult. But as hard as they are, I would never trade in that word MOM in any of the titles!
This post was one of my favorites for the week, and is highlighted for my readers on Fab Friends Friday =)
http://blmerrill.blogspot.com/2011/01/fab-friends-and-photo-holic-friday.html
love love love this post. you hit it on the head.
I needed to read this today. My head tells me I’m not alone, but there are some days when you just need to HEAR it. Thank you for saying it.
LOVE this post, Heather! And it’s so true that blogging helps us feel less alone. I’ve only been blogging since November, but I’ve already felt a tremendous influx of positivity and general good in my life. I’m not kidding!
I love your posts about all of the different types of motherhood. They always ring so true, as I’ve experienced at least two of them and I’m slowing moving into the Work at Home role.
Great post!
So true…my blog is like free therapy. All of these are try…fitting in is hard. Who thought I’d be worrying about this at this age???
What a great post! I’m crying over my turkey sandwich here! I’ve been feeling guilty for not having more fun staying at home. It’s nice to know I’m not alone.
I was a miserable SAHM who put on a “happy face” every day for 7 years when secretly I was dying inside a little. And then I went back to work part-time. I am so much happier now that I am not trying to fake my way through my life.
Some of us are hardwired to be fabulous nurturers — and some of us are loving people who cannot bear the isolation and thanklessness of motherhood.
I’ve learned a lot about myself over the years.
I’m so happy I’ve finally found a place of harmony.
For now, anyway. 😉