Staying at Home Vs. Working

I want to note before I get into this blog post that no matter what people choose to do it's what works for them, neither way is wrong/better etc.

All throughout my life I always thought that I would be okay with working and having a family. I grew up with a working mother and she showed me that it can be done. She went to school, worked, took care of her mother, myself and my dad and the house. I honestly don't know how she did it (Thanks mom! You were great!!), but she did it. She was a great role model. My grandmother also worked outside the home as well and raised 7 children. 

Throughout my college career I never thought that I would want to be a Stay at Home Mom. Why would I want to stay home with my kids when I could have a career as well. However now that I am in the actual place of having to decide if I want to be a SAHM (Stay at home mom) or a working mother, I am starting to resent the fact that I HAVE to work. I hate the fact that I have to drop her off at daycare and leave her in someone else's hands all day long. I hate the fact that they get to see her smile all day and all I have is pictures. I know that I truly couldn't be a full time SAHM, but I just wish I could do it part time. I know that daycare helps her socialize and learn some news skills that she wouldn't learn while home with me, however I really wish I could be with her.

How do women balance keeping up the house, taking care of their children, maintaining a healthy relationship with their partner and finding time for themselves. Something has to give and I have been finding that for me what's giving in is the time for myself and also the time with my husband. An example of that is Wednesday night we were both home. I was spending time with the little one, while trying to clean up the house, decorate the house (so I could put the xmas boxes away). Mike was also cleaning upstairs the entire time and we kept crossing paths. When we got her down to sleep we finally had time for each other, but by then we were both totally exhausted that we just crashed out on the couch and watched TV. 


Don't get me wrong I LOVE LOVE being a mother, but to balance all this is just crazy. It wouldn't be so bad if there were another 5 hours or so in the day, but to try to get a good nights sleep, and get all this other stuff done is so difficult. I applaud all the SAHM's and the Working Mom's because I know that each of them have their own set of challenges, they are just different challenges. and who knows maybe I would be feeling the same thing if I was a SAHM. They do say the grass is always greener on the other side - or at least that's our perception of things, when I know in reality it isn't that way.  I think I just need to get more efficient with the time that I do have, so that when Mike and I are alone together or I am with Gabby I can enjoy the time with them, rather than having to focus on other things.

For all the BTDT (Been there, Done that) Mom's and Dad's out there reading this if you have any tips I would sure appreciate them.