Until recently, I’ve done everything around the house on my own. I do the “inside” and Eric does the “outside.” I plan our menus for the week, grocery shop, clean the house, laundry (most of the time), cook, pay bills, run all the errands, and have the designated job as mommy-chauffeur. The past 5 years have gone by really fast, and no two days have been alike. I’ve managed to work part time from home (mostly nights and evenings) and have spent the past year working on my new company launching this fall.
I’ve already mentioned that I have not signed my kids up for summer camps and activities that would have us spend a lot of time in the car; I want a “flexible” summer where we can get-up & go. Because we are not “activity” bound, we are going to California for two weeks in ten days. We will be home for two weeks and then we will head to the beach with my mom for another week. I want my kids to experience a fun, family filled summer.
Several of my friends have asked me: If your kids are not in camps or childcare, how do you get your blogging, writing, and work done for your company? I will tell you that I am no super woman. I have reduced my blog posts to twice a week for the summer, limited my social media time & volunteer time, and maintained my once a week writing spot at aMomKnowsBest.com. I am WAY behind on emailing and project research for some marketing campaigns… but THAT’S OK. There is so much going on already in our house that I am giving myself some slack. How am I getting my work done for MOMables? I have “hired” help: a fun, sweet, 17 yr old girl in our neighborhood who plays non stop with my kids 8-10 hrs a week.
Am I happy with my decision? Yes. My kids are supervised and entertained while I am home working for a few hrs twice a week. They come in and out of the office while I am working…sometimes to say hello and give me a kiss, other times for no reason. I know a few parents who work from home and use the television as their baby sitter. Hey, it’s FREE. Then, they get annoyed when their kid comes in and “disturbs” them during their “work” hours. Seriously? Kids don’t like to be ignored, they want someone to pay attention to them… and for 8-10hrs a week I’ve hired someone to come play with them instead of being ignored… I’m all for that. Plus, I am still home to eat lunch with them, help them get changed, and take little mini breaks to be with them.
I should mention that having a designated time to “work” has made me more productive. I sit at my desk with a “list” of things to do that do not go beyond office work. It has helped me stay focused. Worth it? Absolutely. By the time our sitter leaves, I feel like I got some tasks I needed to get done accomplished; I’m ready to play with my kids, take them to the pool or go places with them. The beauty of this is that is temporary, and we still have 3 days of the week (plus the weekend) to do fun stuff as a family.
What are you doing with your kids this summer? Are they involved in “activities”? How are you juggling work and being home over the summer?
Tiffany's Toy Box
My boys are going to summer camp, but I have two other jobs (lawyer & production company) in addition to being mom and wife, how will I handle? I think i need some hired help around the house. I’ve come to the conclusion i can’t do EVERYTHING. I also may need an intern (which my friends have told me to do ages ago) just to help with research and odds and ends. Maybe you should look into a part time intern too?
hugs,
Tiffany