I don’t know how working moms do it—or working parents, for that matter. Single moms & dads, divorced parents, it has to be a tough job. We’re lucky enough that we can sort of afford for me to stay home with the boys. Putting them in child care all day would probably take up most of what I would make anyway.
When I did work I noticed a difference between people who had a work ethic and people who did not, no matter if they had children. One of my co-workers would call off sick, leave early constantly or come in late because of her teenage children (and she was sort of nuts but that’s a different story). People with tiny babies were leaving work less than she was. It ruined everything for the entire department. My co-worker was a master manipulator and once she gained an inch she went for the whole mile, then threatened to sue if they terminated her.
That said I did see people who somehow managed, and if they had to leave they made the proper arrangements and apologized to those they left behind. I suppose an apology isn’t entirely necessary as family should be the number one priority but it goes a long way.
I don’t even know how Mr Woolie does it. He works hard all day and doesn’t have any vacation time. He comes home every evening and often cooks dinner (he’s the better cook), bathes the boys and reads them a story before bed.
I’m rambling but I think my point is it’s tough and pay disparity sucks. But this is the absolute best job I’ve ever had. I say that as someone who has never really been into kids. I never babysat as a teen, never got all googly-eyed over babies, I found toddlers to be somewhat tedious. Plus come on, we spend a good majority of our lives trying not to get pregnant. When I finally did I wasn’t so much into the pregnancy thing. My mom constantly called my sister and worried that I wasn’t going to be that into the baby, either. My sister assured her with “If she treats the baby anything like she treats her cats everything will be fine.”
There was no magic moment, I didn’t gaze into my newborn’s eyes and fall in love. I think all of this was because I was terrified of losing. Not my self or my lifestyle or any of that but the baby. Of course I’ve fallen in love now and cannot imagine my life without the boys. The secret for me has been to expect the absolute worst—that makes the reality so much better.
Today was fairly normal, lots of screaming and crying and shouting and laughing…from me, natch. It’s tough but you know, people have been doing this for ages.
beautiful kids, beautiful post.
Notes
