Making Decisions

Being a mom in this day and age is tough. It's not like back in the day when it was just expected that a mother should stay at home with the kiddos. Now, we have choices. We can choose to work outside the home. We can choose to stay at home with the kids. We can choose to work from home. There are so many options and I think that is a beautiful thing.

I really think there is no one right way to do things. Everyone has a different situation and everyone has a different way of doing things that works best for their family. As long as the child's needs are being met, that is all that really matters.

I'd be lying if I didn't admit that I really wish I could stay home full time right now.

Unfortunately that is just not a financial possibility for us. Thankfully, most days, I love being a writer. Before being a mom became my best and favorite "job," I knew I was meant to write. Now I am so fortunate to be able to get paid to do what I love.

Sure, being a reporter is stressful and I don't always love having to come into the office everyday. Sometimes I have to report on very unpleasant things and those days are hard. And days like today, when Jack was being soooo incredibly adorable, it is even harder to leave him.

Srsly, this face:

I recently read these very different perspectives on a woman who loves stay-at-home-mom life and a mom who regrets her decision to stay home. It is so interesting the different perspectives we all have. I am not one to say that any of these are necessarily wrong.

I've been employed, the paying-taxes kind of employment, not lemonade-stand kind of employment, since I was 12 years old. (Psh, child-labor laws.) And I don't know if I could handle not collecting some kind of paycheck, or providing an income to our household. That is just my own personal opinion, and definitely doesn't reflect on those who choose to stay home.

In a perfect world, working from home, writing my novels, and actually selling them would be ideal. Unfortunately I am not to that point yet, but maybe some day.

In the meantime, I've been lucky to be able to make the very-awesome choice to get to only work part-time. Most of you know I've been a full-time reporter and full-time mama since I came back to work at the end of May from my maternity leave. It's been hard, ya'll. That's 40+ hours a week working, 10+ hours a week driving in my commute and not to mention the amount of money I lose spending on child care.

I have the best child care situation anyone could ask for, so I am very lucky. But that money, combined with what I am spending on gas every day to drive to work and with what I actually make at my job, (let's just say the income of a journalist makes public ed teachers look "wealthy") it is a much smarter decision for me to go part time.

I am so excited and fortunate to be able to start this new schedule next week. I absolutely cannot wait to start being able to spend more time with my favorite little guy. I kind of feel like working part time as a mom is the best of both worlds. I get to spend more time with my baby, but I also will end up still being able to bring home a little bit of income and get out of the house a little bit.

It is going to be an interesting transition for all of us, but I am so excited about this new change!!

Happy Friday everyone! Anyone have exciting plans this weekend? Feel free to share in the comments below! I don't think we have anything too exciting going on. Hopefully just a nice, relaxing weekend with my boys :)