The Best Hour of the Day

I am excited to introduce a new series of guest blogs, where real moms (like you!) write in with things they want to share. I know this blog will probably strike a chord with you amazing moms that are working hard both inside AND outside of the home.  Annika writes:

Over the recent holiday break, my husband and I had a Date Night (thank you Grandma and Grandpa!) and we went to see “Marley and Me.” Dog lover or not, a truly heartwarming film that’s about a lot more than just a naughty dog…it’s also about the choices we make as we morph from a couple to a family and the joy and pain and growth we experience. One line in the film, however, did sting a little. Jennifer Aniston’s character says: “I don’t want to be one of those moms who only sees her kids for an hour each night.” Ouch. I am one of those moms.

My beautiful son Adam is 20 months old. I adore him and his father (“my boys”) and would do absolutely anything for my family. I went back to work when Adam was 3 months old. I knew going into it that I would need to be a working mom, but no one told me for how hard it actually is to try and do it all. It didn’t seem fair. I have a great job, doing marketing for a place and a product that I love, and I have worked so hard in my career to get to where I am. I was even promoted when I was 7 months pregnant! How crazy is that?!? And now that I was a mom, how could I just quit? I am not a quitter! But my baby needs me! What am I going to do??? I have never felt so torn in my life.

Soon after I went back to work, I started down this “whoa is me” path (geez…as if I was the only working mom struggling with these issues. Gimmie a break…I am among millions of smart, talented moms who are doing this every day!) But I couldn’t help it. It was a difficult adjustment.

And then I had an idea. What if I started my own business, doing something that would offer me more flexibility than a corporate job? Surely I could figure that out. And soon after that I had one of those moments with a newborn where I was looking for a product that didn’t yet exist: a burp cloth that does not fall off your shoulder. So I invented the BurpieBlocker and continued with my day job but with a new sense of power. I was making the choice to work but I had an exit strategy…maybe not an immediate fix (still need to pay the mortgage) but definitely a long term solution.

It’s all about choices. That empowering shift in thinking set me free. Once I could embrace the choices I was making, I regained the upper hand. I was in control of my destiny. Nobody was forcing me to do anything. So whether you choose to stay at home, work full time or something in between, it’s your choice! You have the power to do whatever is best for you and your family.

And while the practical realities of paying our mortgage and car payments, insurance bills and utilities do keep me motivated to work there is something else: pride. I am proud of the work I do outside of the home. Not as proud as the work I do at home for my family, but pretty darn proud.

And even though I am one of those moms who only sees her son for an hour each night, I gotta say, it’s the best hour of the day.

Annika is the Director of Domestic Marketing for Disneyland Resort and the mompreneur behind BurpieBlocker, the burp cloth that does not fall off your shoulder. She lives in Orange County, CA with her son Adam and husband Chris.

BurpieBlocker is offering Tiny Oranges readers 10% off their entire order!  Use coupon code Tiny10 when checking out!

Have something you would like to share?   Email me at info@tinyoranges.com, your email might be the next guest blog featured on “The Scoop!  Real Moms Dish”