Transitioning From A Stay-At-Home Mom To A Full Time Working Mom
I never knew how hard it was to spend so much time away from my family. My oldest daughter is 7 1/2 years old and I have been around all her life. Granted I had a job there for a little while but I was always home before the hubby got home from work. In Italy I had a full time job as well but it was doing Family Child Care out of my own home so I was always with my kids and hubby when he was home from work. This working all the time and only getting to see the kids an hour and a half before they have to be in bed is a lot harder then I thought it was going to be. With that being said, here's how we have learned to get through the new transition.
Our morning routine had to change since I now need to be to work by 630am. We get the kids up earlier and all have breakfast together since I don't normally get to have dinner with the family. The girls get on the bus at 640am so Daddy now gets to take them to the bus. When he has to be into work by 630 I can take the girls in to work with me and there is a van that will take them to school but with all the changes right now we want to keep as much the same as possible.
During the day the girls are at school and the boy gets to go to school now too. He doesn't like it. Not that he doesn't like going to school, he doesn't like being away from Mommy so much. I must admit I don't like it either. So when I am able to get out of work at 9 or 10am I normally pick him up and bring him home with me 2 or 3 days of the week. That way I get that little extra time with him since I know it is the hardest on him. I take him back to school around 2 and then get back to work!
Once the girls get out of school the van brings them to my work. It's really hard for me to have them in my class every day because I can't be the mom I am at home. We have to follow the lesson plan at my job and that isn't always something they wanted to do. Before when they got home I would always do something fun with them. A craft, project, read books, play games, something. So this too is taking a toll on my girls. At work I have them help me more. I let them pass out things we need for the other kids, plates, markers, etc. And by the time we are ready to go home at 630pm they have helped me sweep, vaccuum, clean the tables and chairs, even clean the toys. We make it "us" time and I really think they like that.
Some days Daddy is able to get off work before I do so he will come and pick up the kids so he can spend more time with them as well. With me working it seems we both get more one on one time with the kids which is nice but also sucks for spending family time together.
At night when I get home from work a little before 7pm the kids are already fed and running around. I get the fun parts of reading to them and getting them ready for bed. Doing baths, showers, cleaning of rooms, etc.
It's not until 830pm that I finally get to sit down on the couch with the hubby and just breath. This has been super hard on me because I've always been home with him when he is home. With his job and him being gone so much I've always cherished every second I had with him. Now it is even more precious since I'm not home until later now either. How have we come through this so far? Well, we talk a lot more. He likes to help me think of ideas for my class room and how to help make my days better. We are planning more stuff on the weekends as a family, that might mean the 5 of us sitting on the couch cuddled up in a blanket and watching a family movie. Any time I get to spend with my family I cherish even more now then I did before.
My advice to you if you are going through the same thing - take it one day at a time! It is beyond hard at first but it does get better and your family will get back into the swing of things. Remember that your hard work is getting paid for (if money is an issue) and that too will help you. Do the little things with your family that you didn't do before. Love your kids and your spouse no matter what. Don't let the little things ruin your day. And above all, smile, it really does make you feel better!!!
