No more whining list ;)

After my experience of being a working mom and a stay at home mom, I have come to realize they both have their difficulties along with their perks. I won't lie. When I was teaching, I always envied stay-at-home mommies. I dreaded the early mornings/commute to work (especially when Andrew was waking in the middle of the night several times), work/home balance was really tough, and no matter how hard I tried, I always had to take work home. I felt I could never be "my best" at either "job." The things I do miss are the friendships I had with those around me. The funny/random conversations and the serious/life-impacting ones. The people that assured me of what a great job I was doing as a teacher. I had everyday adult conversations and a "break" from my home life. I had to work with a team of teachers to problem solve and come up with plans. It's funny because I LOVE being a stay at home mom. But there are days when I wonder if it's a right fit for me. So today I thought of making a list for myself. A list of things that help me be a better mommy because they help me feel happy, healthy, and satisfied with how I CHOOSE to do my job as a mommy. And then I decided to brainstorm how I am in control of making sure those things happen. It might be 5 extra minutes of morning coffee (solution: easier breakfast that morning), or getting more sleep (no brainer solution: go to bed earlier). Let's face it: Mommies are always busy taking care of everyone BUT themselves. And we are the glue that keeps our family together. So make yourself a list. And then make it happen. I have the most important job in the world right now, so I can't forget about taking care of myself as well as my precious babies.