Since I became a mom back in 2006, work/life balance has been a challenge. I’m sad that Ava is almost six now and I still haven’t found a way to be there for her more often. But I do feel like I’m getting closer. My current job is flexible enough that if she is sick, I can work from home. With clients in so many different time zones I find that I work all hours of the day anyway. I just wonder if I’m ever going to find that “laptop job” where I can be available to my family at any given moment. What I’d love to do is be home for Ava right after school so she doesn’t have to go to daycare. Not only would I get to spend more time with her, it would save us almost $400 a month if there was a way to eliminate that from our schedules.
It is true – working is my choice. But the mommy guilt is becoming palpable. While I love how independent Ava is, it makes me sad to think that I’m missing out on time that I can never get back. Just a few more hours each day could mean so much. At this point, I’m lucky to spend three hours with her each day during the week. Now that she has started after school activities, those hours are rapidly dwindling.
My husband and I do choose to live a lifestyle that requires both of our salaries, but we are working to get back to living on one again. I’m also testing the waters of self-employment, trying to make a go of writing and blogging. And hopefully my children’s book will have legs once I get it on the market. To have just a bit of supplemental income would be very nice. Then we can see where we are a year from now.
I just hope I can find a way to get that balance before Ava is 18.
Do you struggle with work/life balance? What measures have you taken to work more from home? Or to make more money while working fewer hours? I would love to know.
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