Recommend this article to a friend
My telecommuting career began in 1987 shortly after my first of four kids was born. I
naively envisioned my home office humming ever so smoothly while my child gathered around
while I read or played with him. It was an idyllic Norman Rockwell scene, this fantasy of
mine.
Within six very short years, I gave birth to an additional three daughters while still
working from home. My Shangri-La of the "perfect" work-at-home mom soon gave way
to nothing less than controlled chaos on a good day! My past fantasies had never included
sick kids, sibling battles, lack of sleep and constant tug of war between looming work
deadlines and kids that needed their Mom.
Total exhaustion had a hold on me constantly from trying the impossible task of being
Supermom. I discovered that when you walk into a home of another working mom whose house
is immaculate, you can easily make some deductions. First, her children are lacking for
attention while Mom constantly keeps the house tidied and secondly, this is a
"house", not a "home." My kids have friends whose moms have
beautifully kept homes but these are the houses that no other kids are allowed to enter.
These moms send their kids over to houses like ours because they know that I'll
always welcome them, offer snacks and some attention. I think I'd rather walk around the
clutter in my house while hearing the laughter of my kids and their friends.
I remind myself frequently, also, that my main objective to being a WAHM was to be able to
spend quality time with my family. So, the next time you drive past a house with a
slightly overgrown lawn, full of bikes and see a gaggle of kids running through a
sprinkler, you can bet it's my house.
My laundry may look like Mount McKinley, we eat fast food or Tuna Helper a lot, you can
write your name in the dust on my dining room table BUT we're sure having a good time!! So
PLEASE take my Supermom cape - it's cheap and it doesn't fit me any longer.
About the author: Barb Niehaus of Cincinnati, Ohio, USA created Moms @ Home Working, http://www.moms-home-work.com , to assist women
who are looking for "the perfect balance between work and family" -- being a
WAHM. To subscribe to the free daily ezine of Moms @ Home Working, packed with
at-home jobs, business tips, freebies and more, send a blank email: mailto:subscribe@moms-home-work.com
Copyright 2000 Barb Niehaus - All rights reserved.
