Work / life balance

Im a working mum with two gorgeous kiddies aged 2.5 and 6 months. I am currently working parttime as is my husband so we both share the baby duties during the week. We choose this set up to ensure my career does go fully on hold for another year but also so my husband gets a chance to see all of the amazing baby things that happens during the week. Im still fully breastfeeding as well so working just 3 days a week is helpful.

I adore my babies and I am also very career orientated. I have a corporate job in a non-family friendly firm. I have been there for a few years now but since having number 2 I am finding the work/life balance hard. I finish work early in the afternoons because I start the day super early. That way I get more time at home. In saying that though, I feel super guilty getting home late or just not being at home when I am wanted. I also feel disappointed in myself when other staff members are promoted ahead of me even though I haven't done as many hours at work as them. I have always been promoted first or ahead of my year group previously.

Is anyone in the same situation? I guess I need to get over it huh and remind myself how lucky I am having such a lovely family. What do you think?

Yeah I know the feeling. I am a single parent and work 4 days a week and some weeks I feel like I don't get to give 100% to anything because there are so many compromises involved. When I'm at home I (mostly) love spending time with my 2 year old and think I would love to work less hours and spend more time with her. Then when Im at work I would love to work more hours, do overtime and put my hand up for promotion because I am very competitive and goal oriented and love my work. I just keep reminding myself that its not forever and I would regret not spending that time with DD while she is little. And I do love spending time with her. Its hard. Then I try and squeeze in exercise and me time and things really start going out the window...

I think mums have a talent for feeling guilty no matter what decisions they make! Dont work = feel guilty about not bringing in any money or putting career on hold... do work = feel guilty for not spending time with the kids... We need to learn to soften up on ourselves a little bit

I love the fact I can work part-time and I think I am a better mum for it xxx

Shelt wrote: Yeah I know the feeling. I am a single parent and work 4 days a week and some weeks I feel like I don't get to give 100% to anything because there are so many compromises involved. When I'm at home I (mostly) love spending time with my 2 year old and think I would love to work less hours and spend more time with her. Then when Im at work I would love to work more hours, do overtime and put my hand up for promotion because I am very competitive and goal oriented and love my work. I just keep reminding myself that its not forever and I would regret not spending that time with DD while she is little. And I do love spending time with her. Its hard. Then I try and squeeze in exercise and me time and things really start going out the window...

Completely agree. I'm not a single mum but my Dh is hardly home, and when he is, he's still not allowed to take sick days or time off if the kids are ill, so it all comes down to me. I absolutely love my job and want to spend more time there to be the best at it, but I don't get much help at home so have to make sure I get the kids home early enough to get some sort of meal slapped in front of them before bed. I just keeping thinking that it will get easier, at least when they're at school they can come to work with me (I'm a teacher) so I will see them a bit more (as long as they don't bug me too much when I'm trying to work )

I take a lot of work home to spend more time with the kids. That's the only way I can keep up with the demands of my job at this stage. So I work 7.30-5, then kids from 5-7, then work from about 7.30-9 if need be. It makes for a long day and exercise/sanity time is out the window, but I'm bringing in a 2nd, much-needed income and getting on with my career. Plus our children have fantastic family and educators so I don't think they're missing out on anything (I feel like I am, but what I want doesn't really come into it when you have mouths to feed and a career that you can't stay away from for too long without being made completely redundant).