There are more days in the week that the guilt of being a full-time working mom consumes me. I am often overwhelmed with the amount on my plate and the lack of time to accomplish it all. I recently came across this quote, and I felt compelled to write an open letter to fellow working mamas.
To the working mom who thinks she’s doing it all wrong:
Day in and day out, you second guess yourself. You put other moms on a pedestal for their time and patience to send their kids with Pinterest-worthy Valentine’s and their availability to volunteer to be the Mystery Reader at school.
You spend 8-hours a day solving problems, filing paperwork, fielding questions, and working collaboratively. You eat lunch at your desk because you worry about impending deadlines. You leave work in time to make it to pick-up and listen as your little ones recount their days on the ride home.
You’re thinking about what you’re making for dinner and juggling your three-ringed circus while you’re preparing it. You’re getting up for milk refills and more grapes, and eventually you’ll sit down to eat your lukewarm meal before cleaning up the mess and starting homework and bedtime routines.
Through it all, you’re worrying about how few books you’ve read, the songs you haven’t sung, and the amount of screen-time you’ve been allowing. You’re kicking yourself for not making more time for the kids, your husband, the dog, yourself.
But.
You can’t do it all. No one can. And, more importantly, no one does. Stop beating yourself up over the tasks that were not accomplished and the ever-growing to-do list on the fridge. Embrace the mess, the chaos, the imperfections. This balancing act is hard, but you’re doing it. It may not be pretty, but each and every day you are doing all the things.
Keep it up, mama. You got this. We got this.
Hi! I’m Megan—a thirty-something working mama living in Waukesha. During the day, I am a high school English teacher for Milwaukee Public Schools. In the evenings, I am chef, chauffeur, and activities director for my little family. I am married to my awesome husband, Christopher, and together we have two girls, Lily and Eva. I am currently enrolled in a masters program at Carroll University and plan to be finished with my MEd in summer 2020. I am a Disney fanatic, total Cheesehead, and a reality TV junkie! I love exploring all of what Lake Country has to offer, especially riding the abundant bike trails and trying out new restaurants. Facebook / Instagram
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