Working Moms

[KELLY]

I was just wondering how many working mom's are on this board? My DD is 19 months and I go to work five days a week. We just got extended hours so some nights I won't be home until 7 pm. yuck. But my husband makes good money but no health insurance. So I work for health insurance and daycare and groceries. We are going to try for number 2 in a couple of months. I hate leaving my DD but she is with her grammy all day. I got lucky mom owns day care.

Kelly 32 DH 35 DD 19 months

Leaving for SSR for 10 nights 4/23 to 5/3 2007.

 

[kitsch4]

Hi. Another working mom here. My daughter's name is Kelly, too. She is now eight, but when she was born, I was fortunate to able to cut back to working four days a week. Now on my Friday's off, I help out at her school. You're so lucky to have your mom to look after your daughter! She and your daughter will have a great bond. I used to hate the idea of having to send my kids to daycare. I would think, why would I have kids and then give them to other people to raise. It broke my heart going back to work after being home for three months after they were born. Someone I know helped me a lot when he told me "Just think of it this way- it's more people to love your children."

 

[larklynn]

I am a working mom of 3 beautiful children and would stay home if I could but at least they are all in school all day now. My youngest started all day kind. this year. ds(6) my dd turns 9 sat. and my oldest ds turns 13 in June my baby will be a teenager and yes I can still get away with calling him my baby! He is a really good kid and I have been lucky with the different places they have gone for daycare. My oldest has CP and I tend to be over protective because of it. Good luck with your dd and have fun trying for number 2.

 

[DISNEYFOS]

I'm a working mom of 1 - 3 year old DD and one on the way. I actually telecommute from home. I'm on the east coast and my management is on the west. I switched to 4 - 10 hour days last year to have Friday's off with my DD, and I love it. The three day weekend really re-energizes me. Mon-Thurs, I have a nanny with her 3 year old come here while I work. The arrangement has worked out well for us, although there are days I wish I wasn't holed up in my office, chained to the computer and the telephone. I carry the healthcare as well so Here I am

I wholeheartly agree with the statement: More people to love your children!! and more positive influences in their life. Its great you have your mom!

Best of luck with #2, it took us a while to make that leap

 

[1rockinmamato2]

I work full time outside the home. DS and DD are both in daycare. I work mostly for insurance and my paycheck buys formula, diapers, groceries, clothing, other incidentals and trips (like hopefully Disney soon).

I would love to be a SAHM, but there is no way we could live off of one salary. I've crunched the numbers and it's just not possible. No amount of budgeting or coupon clipping could compensate for my lack of salary.

On the positive side, I do have great hours and frequent vacations. I'm on a 200-day/year contract. And my daycare is very affordable at only $120/week for both children. My mom had always intended on keeping my children, but she passed away four years ago. So, you're very lucky to have family to help you care for your child.

I find one of the hardest things about working full-time is trying to keep up with the housework! It's making me LOL!

 

[ehrn]

my son is 2, I'm a FT visiting nurse. until very recently i made more money than my husband so i hope in a few months i can go PT--but i doubt i'd be able to stay home FT--even though i'd love to!! we do have an AWESOME babysitter, but daycare is really expensive. if i was a sahm i know i wouldn't be planning WDW in sept--there's no free lunch. i have a great kid, i help people in my job, sometimes this is how the cookie crumbles...
BUT--it's like having 2 FT jobs, isn't it??!!! I HATE making dinner!!
working moms UNITE!!!!

 

[emma'smom]

I am a working mom of two daughters (4 and 2). My dd4 goes to an all-day Montessori School and my dd2 is in day care. I am a professor at a local college and work 5 days a week during the school year (with 4 week break at x-mas, 2 weeks spring break, and 3 months in the summer where I work 1/2 days a few days a week depending upon camp schedules).

I have made the conscious decision to be a working mother. I enjoy the contribution I make to my community as well as the intellectual environment in which I work. My dh earns a salary that could easily support the basics for our family. My salary provides the "extras", college funds, an investment portfolio, and secure savings accounts.

My children are happy and healthy! We really enjoy the time we spend together and they are both thriving in their formal educational environments!

If I ever decided that working wasn't right for me, I would choose to be a SAHM. However, after two-weeks of Spring Break, I have to say that I really appreciate the community of caregivers that shares in the guidance of intellectual/social/physical development of both of my dd's.

 

[Jacksmom99]

Hi! Another working mom here to DS 8 and DD4, and have been since DS was 8 weeks old. I am fortunate to be a teacher so I have school vacations and summers off with my kids. DS also attends school in the district where I work, so we commute together an hour each way. I love having time with just him to chat!

At first I resented having to go back to work, but I really think it was the job I didn't like. Now I love my job, but it is hard to juggle working, bringing work home, and the kids. I'll never have a clean house LOL! I make more money than DH (in the social work field) and we considered having him stay home. However, as we crunched the numbers we found that we would not be able to save for retirement or college for a while, and we would not be able to pay off exisiting debt that we had. I want to keep working so that I can have my kids attend school in a fabulous school district where we could never afford to live.

 

[RichNKatHolly]

Working mom here who until 1 year ago was a SAHM. Both have drawbacks and plusses. I'd love to still be home though, but as the sole financial provider I cannot.

The housework does seem to be taking a backseat lately I must say! Anyone know of a cheap housekeeper?

 

[Sarah7401]

I am a working mom of 1, DS4. I work outside the home as does DH. I work 5 days a week from 8-4 and I take my son to his sitter's house. He is the only child she watches and she is the next best thing to a grandmother to him. We actually found her in the newspaper the day before I was scheduled to go back to work after maternity leave. He was already registered at a daycare, so i put him there for a week while I checked out the sitter. When everything checked out, we transferred there. She has been a Godsend and is now a part of our family.

Although we love his sitter to death, I would LOVE to be a SAHM.

 

[Darcy03231]

I'm a working Mom of 4 (DS-22, DD-19, DD-15 and DS-13). With the kids all in school I'd be bored all day at home. I work for travel, college expenses and extras. Luckily I have a great job about a mile from our house. Since I've been here for over ten years I get lots of vacation time and its easy for me to leave the office to go to school activities, field trips, etc.

 

[mom2aredhead]

I am fortunate to be able to work 3 days/week right now (one of which is Sat - yuck!) becuase I've been with the company for 12 years and was able to rearrange my schedule after my son was born. My son is in daycare 2 of the days and has "Daddy Day" every Sat.
However, my company is relocating in the fall. Because of my husband's job (and our family, and a long list of other reasons) we will not be relocating. I'm sure I won't be able to find another 3 day/week job that pays what I make after 12 years here, so I'll probably be back to 5 days/week. Oh well, it was good while it lasted.
My plan now is to go back to school (I start in 3 weeks) to get my teaching certification. I alredy have a Bachelor's degree so it won't take too long...Should be ready to go for Sept as long as I can convince someone to hire me. My son will be in full day Pre-K starting in Sept regardless, so it would be nice to be be on a similar schedule.
Hopefully this thread will stay as positive as it is and we won't hear from any of the "Mommier than thou" crowd.

 

[Princess Roo]

Another working mom who chooses to be! I have a PhD in engineering, love teaching, and would go nuts if I was home full time. My happy compromise was to choose to work at a university that is more teaching-focused (lower paying - LOL!) and lets me only have my son in daycare 3 days per week. I work the other two days while DS naps and a lot of evenings/weekend time after DS is in bed. I truly cherish the time I spend with DS (and DH ) but I also love my job. It's win-win for me, although the mommy-guilt definitely crops up sometimes! Once all our children are in school, I will be able to adjust my schedule to theirs, except for teaching one night a week when DH will be with them.

 

[Worfiedoodles]

I'm a working mom, too! We have a ds9. I went back to work when he was 3mos., and he is thriving! He excels academically, is very bonded to myself and dh, and is a polite, social boy. He doesn't have any problem with Mommy working, especially since he knows that's how we afford vacations, swim class, piano, basketball, skating, chorus and gymnastics -- not to mention the mortgage! He's in a fabulous after school program run by his teachers, and he could not be doing better.

I'm looking forward to reading this thread!

 

[Benducci]

I work FT. I am lucky right now - my parents watch my kids when I am at work. I work in the office between 8-1 & tele-commute the rest of my day. My older two are in 1/2 day kindergarten in the afternoon and MY little one is in 3 mornings right now. Come Sept the older two will be full day & the little one will be 4, possibly 5 mornings. I like my schedule since it allows me to do things with my kids. I have alot of flexibility in my job which is great. If I need to take them to work with me I can. There is a playroom with a TV since others have small kids also. I could make more money elsewhere and have benefits too but I would lose the fleixibility. I have to work to help with bills but also I like to work. I like the break from the house & that I am talking to grownups. just an opinion.

 

[TMB1203]

I am a working mom.
I stayed home for 18 months with my first son. When we bought our house, there was just no way I could be SAHM. I really hated working for the first few years.

We had another baby in 2003 and my sister watched him. When he turned two I put him in the daycare center my oldest one went to. I love it there. He learns so much and has so many friends. He would really miss not going there.

I have switched jobs, went back to school, got my BA and am in school now for my MBA. Some days I wish I could stay home, but it's not possible, so we make the best of it.

My house is never "clean" and is somewhat disorganized, but when I am home, I would rather spend the time with the kids...cleaning can wait.

 

[mom2aredhead]

I am a working mom.
My house is never "clean" and is somewhat disorganized, but when I am home, I would rather spend the time with the kids...cleaning can wait.

I agree 100%
If it's a choice between going to the park and washing the floor... no brainer!

 

[lg3]

All moms are "working moms", I think you mean "moms who are employed outside the home."

 

[mom2aredhead]

 

[lg3]

No, there is a there.