Do you want to hear a secret?

No really, this is a bad confession but it’s important to hear the truth. 😶

I went back to work because it was easier then staying home as a new mom 😞.

I don’t feel bad about doing what I did; I knew it was the best option for me, my babies and the family.

Why is it easier to be at work?

My mom would ask me regularly “Is going to work worth it? Wouldn’t you rather be a Stay-At-Home-Mom and take care of you children?”

And I would answer “Yes I would like to stay at home and take care of my children, but going to work is easier”… Why?

Because I have a lunch break .😓

Being at home with small children is hard.

I really feel most people do not come to this realization until they go through this experience themselves.

Most people think you can do your own thing without your boss riding your ass. Well, reality check! Your children are your little bosses. You love them however these little bosses are unforgiving and demanding. My youngest daughter’s favorite quote is actually “right NOW!” ( I’m not kidding you).

So Stay-At-Home-Mom, how much work goes into being at home?

I have a guy friend, let’s call him Kevin. One day Kevin and I were chatting and a conversation came up concerning his divorce.

He said that if he could only give one piece of advice to new dads it would be this.

” When you are at work, consider that your break.”

Yup. That was stated by a Dad! A Dad of two small kids that realized that his full time Job was actually easier then coming home to the kids.

And I agree with him! A lot of parents are flabbergasted at how much work goes into taking care of newborns, infants and toddlers (I am sure school going children and teenagers are a whoot too). New parents have no idea until they are knees deep in diapers and spit up. You love it, but this can take an emotional toll if new parents don’t have the support required (this is another topic on preventing postpartum which I will touch on in the future).

So to conclude Kevin’s story- he stated that he wanted to inform all new dads/partners that once they came home from work they should take the newborn/infant/toddler from the new mommy rather then expect to take a “break” in front of the TV.

My Bottom line.

Yes it is difficult to leave your little one in the care of someone else; however if you found a great childcare provider that you are confident with, you might see that going back to work is not that bad. For me, it was the best option. I struggled with childcare; when I found the right supports it was a no brain-er that going back to work was the best option.

At the end of the day every Stay-At-Home-Mom wants what is best for their family. For some, going to work is the best option as they can bring in an extra income and continue their career path. For others, Stay-At-Home-Mom is their profession and this is awesome because this job is the most rewarding and also (for me) the most difficult because you never ever will have a defined lunch break.

My advice for my Stay-At-Home-Mom who wants a lunch break.

Your job is the most demanding on the planet. I’m not joking. You need to acknowledge this and do the following!

Carve out times in the week that I call “Weekly Reset“.

For example, tell your partner or family support network that you have a commitment on 2-3 nights a week and make an appointment and go out. Leave your baby/children and go!

Create a “Check-In Time” Schedule.

Set an alarm on your phone at the same time everyday that allows you to Check-In with you!

For a lot of new parents who are sleep deprived, or even parents who have older children, we forget to take care of ourselves first.

My Check-In Times (even at work) are 10am, 12:30pm and 2pm. I ask myself- “Have I ate food and drank enough water”. Water intake is especially important for nursing/breast feeding mothers.

To my Stay-At Home-Moms, you may not be able to get a full 20 minutes at those Check-In Times, but it’s a reminder that you need to fuel your gas tank too.

And if the stars align and your child/baby is sleeping at your Check-In Time, then completing a 5 minute mediation also does wonders.

I hope my rant/advice has been eye-opening.

Please do take a little time each day for yourself.

If you are interested in hearing more about my rants/advice on family and health, look to the bottom right hand corner of your screen and add your email address.