Thoughts on being a working mom....

Brett and I are expanding our blog. It is now "2 Trainers & A Baby". The goal is to bring in the big picture. We are always advocating balance, so we want to start discussions that relate to our entire lives, and not just the exercise component. I thought I would start with a few thoughts on being a working mom. Now, let me say off the bat, these are just my observations and how they relate to my life. I am not criticizing anyone who doesn't work or who works more than me. But, as far as I can tell, working has truly had a positive affect on my parenting.

The positive influence of my job started within the first 6 months of Elsa's life. When you first have a baby, there is a lot, and I mean A LOT, of baby talk. Advice as well as criticism is being thrown at you from all angles. And your day seems to revolve around the care of this child. And the truth is, that can get a little overbearing. For a lot of moms, there is a feeling of being trapped along with the loss of one's own identity. And although I understand how this would occur for many moms, I seemed to be able to avoid this phase. Just after 2 months, I was back at work. Granted, Elsa was strapped to me in the Bjorn, but I was having adult conversation that was NOT about the baby. B/c I was training other people, I tried to keep the conversation away from Elsa. This was their session and not my time to talk baby. And because of this adult stimulation, I found it easier to remember who "Joli" was before being a mom. And in addition, my time with Elsa was that much more cherished and enjoyable.

Being a working mom, I find it easier to appreciate the little things. I have 1, sometimes 2, mornings that I get to come downstairs in my PJ's and enjoy a cup of coffee. Every other morning I have to get up, shower, get dressed, have breakfast, greet the sitter, and run out the door. I have one, sometimes two afternoons where I am completely done with work and don't have a million errands that need to be done. During these times, I find I am much more productive with Elsa. I want us to really have fun together b/c I know this time is limited. Again, it's the little things.

And I can tell you, if I was not working, I would not be as productive of a mom. The days that I have had Elsa all day to myself....well, truthfully, are not that fun. I find that I get too caught up in trying to be the mom who gets everything done while not letting Elsa watch too much TV. Just finding things to keep us occupied all day is quite a task. I guess what I am trying to say is that working, for me, has helped me keep my life in check. I like that there are chunks of time designated to different elements. Time with my family, time with others, time with myself, and solo time with Elsa. Because I have not felt lost in this parenting world, I am happier for it, and in turn a better mom to Elsa. As they say, "when mom is happy..."

-J