Motherhood: Balancing Work, Life and Children

Being a Mother is the most underrated job in the world. As rewarding as it is to be a mother, it can often be overwhelming and exhausting. How does a mom balance her own life and raise her children at the same time? Mothers have this instinct to take care of everyone else, yet their own needs always seem to become secondary. The reality is that the best way to be there for your children and your family is to make sure that you are taken care of emotionally and physically. This is a hard sentence to read for most women.

The first way to balance your life and your career is to take care of yourself. This does not mean to forget the basic needs of your children and to put yourself first. It means to remember to ask for help, take a breather for yourself, and do not give up your hobbies.

Ask for help. The first time I dropped my son off at his daycare I had this overwhelming sense of anxiety and guilt envelop me. I felt as though I was letting my child down because I had someone else taking care of him. The first couple of hours, I had to fight myself to pick up the phone and check in on him. I finally gave myself a two call limit. Then one day I saw a change. I started to feel more comfortable dropping him off at his daycare. Not to mention the fact that my son was benefiting from the social interaction with the other children.

My advice for anyone that is considering daycare is, Do your research, get to know the teachers and have a meet and greet prior to making the decision. I started looking for daycares when I was six months pregnant, this allowed me plenty of time to choose and then I did not have to rush my decision. Also, at the rate that daycares were filling up, this gave me a choice. Get to know the teachers, when I spoke with the director of the daycare, I went into the daycare and observed what they did during the day. This gave me comfort knowing what to expect throughout the day. Finally, I brought my son one day to the daycare and had him meet the teachers and the children before leaving him for a full day. I began with half days and gradually worked myself up to full days. The transition proved to be a success for both mommy and child.

Take a breather for yourself. Even if you are a stay at home mother, you will need a breather maybe even more so then a working mother. It is not cruel to say this but frankly all moms need a breather from their children sometimes. You will be amazed what even an hour can do for you away from your children. Ask a friend, your partner, family member or babysitter to help watch your children while you go shopping or anything to just get away. At first you will find yourself looking over your shoulder for a dropped pacifier or someone who needs their diaper change, but then you will breathe a sigh of relief because you can just relax. It is good to give yourself this time and you should be able to do it guilt-free. It will benefit everyone.

Do not give up your hobbies. The best advice anyone could give you is to never lose your sense of self. As your children grow they will observe you. The best thing you can do for them is to be yourself. If anything, they can learn from your example. Whether you play sports, music or are an avid reader, these are all admirable attributes to pass down to your children. At times it is these hobbies that we go to as our stress relievers.

Being a mother can truly be rewarding but you have to remember to keep true to yourself. People around you want to help you, so do not be a martyr and never be afraid to ask for help. Your hobbies are what make you happy and what you identify with, so stick to them and someday your children will want to learn. It is rewarding for you and your children. As long as you keep these tips in mind, your life will fall into place. Always stay true to yourself.