Pro's
- Additional income. In this day and age many families need a second income. If I wanted a second child I had to work or we couldn't afford to have her.
- Me time. I am at work but there's this amazing time called lunch or break where I get to choose what I want to do eg. sit, eat, drink coffee, sleep, go to the loo alone. The only time of the day my needs come first.
- Adult conversation that is not about my children.
- I get to moan or brag about my children.
- I feel like a person again, not just Becca and Laria's mom.
- I get to wear work clothes.
- Staying at home everyday can be very monotonous. Going to work and having a varied schedule can be much more interesing.
- Someone else is spending 8-9 hours a day with my children in their formative years. That nanny or teacher's views and values may differ to mine and then my children will learn conflicting or oppossing values. If B is at school for 4-5 hours a day I still have more influence over her and we experience things in the afternoons where I can show her how to react or behave.
- Sometimes I make the wrong choice and my children suffer. Last week Becca had a skin infection and on the Tues I thought I must take her to the doctor. To take her Tues or Wed I would need to leave work early or miss work as her doc only had a late afternoon appointment open on Thur. So I waited till Thu (thinking it's not that bad, Becca will be fine) but by Thu the infection was much much worse. Becca suffered becase I put my work before her needs. I know a lot of moms can compartamentalise better than I can but I am a teacher and my kids at school and their needs are also important to me and sometimes I make the wrong choice.
- I miss out on things. Becca has school outings and I can't miss work to take her. She has a ballet watching day and I can't go as it's in the morning and I'm working. She is at the age now when she asks me to attend and I have to tell her I can't and it breaks my heart.
- I want to watch B's sports when she's older and I want to do homework with her (rather than the aftercare teacher).
- My stress level is way higher when I am always rushing, rushing to work, rushing home, rushing to the shops. I am a much calmer, more patient mom and wife in the school holidays when I have more hours in the day to do everything.