To Work or Not to Work

Working after having children is a big topic of debate among women, mothers & people in general. I love my career as a physical therapist. I've accomplished some great things, have wonderful coworkers, and have some helped some really amazing patients recover from terrible injuries & illnesses. Long ago, I always assumed I would go back full time, but somewhere along the way I changed my mind.

Twins. This was the major factor influencing my decision. Kevin and I talked about me going back full time for sure after our first kid, then maybe stopping after 2 or 3. Plans like that go out the window though when the ultrasound tech tells you there are 2 little bubbles on your screen. Hit fast forward on that timeline plan!

Our first UltraSound! 2 Babies, oh my!

The Stress. Before I got pregnant, and as I grew larger and larger along the way, work began to get more and more stressful. As Medicare changes and therapy requirements changed, there became a push to do more than we as a staff were capable of. This lead to many late days at work and frequent weekends working. After collapsing on my couch night after night after work before kids, I couldn't imagine how I could handle it all with 2 little ones to take care of at home too.

The Cost. Childcare is ridiculously expensive. It blows my mind how many people can even afford to work!! Ok, correction. 1 child in daycare is expensive, 2 is almost unmanageable. Since infants typically cost more that older kids to look after, I was going to have double cost at a higher rate! When I calculated out the cost my take home pay working full time, It seemed not worth it to me.

The Milestones. All those hours spent away from your kids has to come at a price, right? You could miss many firsts. The first smile, first roll, first time sitting up, first words, first walk. The list can go on and on and on. It made me sad to think of all that time away from the babes. I wanted to be there to sing & play, to go on walks and trips to the zoo. Playdates, and craft projects sounds like lots of fun!

Household Chores. I imagined rushing home from work, playing & taking care of my kids, then collapsing without dinner made, laundry done or anything picked up around the house. So far, spending time at home has allowed me to get these things done while they are napping or playing quietly.

So, after careful calculations, and lots of discussion, I have officially become a part time stay at home mom! Luckily, in my profession, working per diem is very easy to do. So with a combination of per diem work at the hospital, consulting work, and teaching at the college, I will get to spend all but 2 part days with my babies every day.

So lucky to hang out with these cuties!

I commend the women who are able to do it all and balance working full time with motherhood. I just know its not for me, and so far I am loving this new adjusted schedule. It gives me a chance to still use my professional skills, catch up with coworkers, and spend lots and lots of time watching my babies grow (and they grow so fast)!

Now I still need to fit in that exercise part!

How do you balance work/motherhood?

Where do you fit in your exercise?