Confession: I Love Being a Working Mom

Don't get me wrong. I LOVED being a stay at home mom. It was the most challenging, the most maddening, the most rewarding and amazing 15 months of my entire life. I was able to Nurse Ethan for 14 months! The level of bonding we experienced was so next level. Awesome! (Let's not even talk about the toll gravity took on my body after nursing kiddo #4. Next level also.)

Now I am back to work with my older two in school full day, and my two toddlers in daycare. (So wierd that Ethan is now a toddler, but it has been proven by his ability to climb out of his crib and into the window sill.) Laney and Ethan come home so HAPPY everyday. They really love it. Even though almost half of my income is going straight to daycare, it's worth it for me to work for several reasons:

Reason# 1. They are getting experiences they wouldn't get at home.

-Not that they're getting better care, but a more eventful and exciting day to day experience. When I checked out the toddler room for the first time, all the guilt I was carrying for wanting to go back to work fell right off of me. They had fingerpaintings hanging on the wall. Fingerpainting. With 12-24 month olds!!! Reality: That would never happen in my house. The director was going over the cirriculum they use for toddlers, (wow) flashcards, books, music, and one on one art. I couldn't believe it! "I never do stuff like that!" I admitted it candidly. And this was the selling point: The daycare has full time administrative personnel, a full time cook, and janitorial staff. "As a mom, you have to answer the phone, pay the bills, do the laundry, cook the meals, run errands, and clean the house. All while taking care of your children. Here, the teachers don't have anything to do but hang out with the kids." I was blown away by the amount of focused, age appropriate attention they were offering my babies.

Reason #2. Adult Conversation:

-Enough said.

Reason #3. I love my job.

-It's Customer Service, which I seem to have a knack for. It's a small company in downtown Salt Lake, with a really laid back atmosphere. REALLY laid back. Everyday by the time I leave, I feel like I've done hundreds of sit ups from laughing so hard. The atmosphere of joking and horseplay is evenly balanced with dedicated hard work and genuine effort toward building up the company. It's awesome. Also, I am right in the Gateway Mall. Starbucks is literally a 3 minute walk, as well as lots of great places to eat and shop. Downtown is beautiful. And my boss rocks! On day one, he walked me to Starbucks and bought me a coffee to sip on while he explained the company policies to me. (This is of course, when I knew it was a God thing.) Here is the attendance policy: (Not that I would take advantage but I have never seen anything like this!) You are counted tardy only if you are more than two minutes late. Each employee is allowed 2 free tardies per month, no questions asked. This is to allow for life to happen. Flat tires, etc. Crazy!!!

Reason #4. Being a part of the world again.

-I appreciate the mundane things I used to hate. Such as listening to news radio on the drive home while sitting in traffic, setting the alarm, and putting some actual effort into the way I look in the mornings. Yes, now I have to actually wear a bra everyday, brush my teeth sometime way before noon, and put make up on. (I'm trying not to do it the car.)

5. Some extra $$$

-It's not much after all the expenses, but it's more than we had. Now we don't have to save and plan for months when there's a birthday, back to school, or a ruined pair of tennis shoes. And we can go home to Washington for Christmas!

Not being in the position that I HAVE to work is nice. I choose to.