Work Life Balance
In my last newsletter I asked for advice for new moms, aka me, on how to create work life balance. I am a few months in to working while also being a mom, and it’s been a challenge for me to find a balance. My middle of the night notes app entries: “How to make the work fulfilling so you don’t feel like you are just away from your baby for money,” and the always helpful ‘You can worry about the house tomorrow.” You get the idea of where my mind is at.
I got some advice I’ll share below, but I’ll also synthesize for you, incase you don’t want to read it all. Baby first, work second, worry less.
Hard to do, but I think it’s important to worry less: is she getting enough milk, sleeping enough, going to the bathroom enough…sitting up or standing or crawling or wearing the right clothes….the answer is yes, whether others in books or in the market or friends kids are doing it at the age mentioned in parenting books or not Gilda will do whatever it is when she’s ready.
Don’t be surprised at what you’ll do, whether it’s letting her wear her favorite outfit to sleep, or cowboy books 24 hours a day for 6 months (my nephew) or favorite socks every day for a year (fortunately two pairs and I washed a pair a day - that was Jennifer) or liked to wear summer clothes year round - under winter clothes in cold weather (my Jamie , whose Gymboree picture was in a summer top and shorts because her winter clothes were dirty from lunch.)
One of my most successful things was the word “touch” when the kids wanted to pull something, a flower or a leaf or an ornament or fancy bowl they learned to touch it carefully with one finger after watching me touch. Think it was Jason’s first word after the mama dada stage.
Some people are good with schedules - I was not. I never woke anyone up from a nap because it was supposed to be a two hour nap and they were still asleep.
Worry less about her going to the bathroom. I called the doctor once when Jennifer, who went to the bathroom several times a day hadn’t crapped in two days. The dr. told me to call back if she doesn’t go in three more.
Be very organized.
Family time together is important -example dinner with everyone.
The baby is more important than anything else- before you know it she will be grown up and you want to be there and remember every stage of her life. You won’t regret it!
I worked and retired as a teacher. I went to work on time and left the moment I was allowed to leave.
All our vacations were spent together either outdoors or at our relatives.
To summarize- you child is always first- work is second.