Here's a fun read about the joys of being a working mum, sent in by Sarah Gates of Mitcheldean Soap.
Enjoy!
Being a working mum from home is supposed to be as easy as pie, at least that is what I thought it would be however in reality it is anything but.
Firstly the whole “I will just type this up then pop the washing machine on then check the kids then a bit more typing before making lunch” turns into something like: start typing - cat jumps on keyboard to see what's going on and to remind you that they need feeding right now right this minute and are not going to get off keyboard until you have moved towards their food cupboard.
Right cat fed now back to typing, small child comes running in asking for a drink, so up again get drink pass to child who runs happily off to living room, sit back down get on with typing. Two sentences into typing telephone rings its hubby wanting to know if he has left glasses at home and if so can I drop them off to him at work! So now 45 minutes later (hubby works 2 minutes down the road but by the time you have saved everything and switched off computer, got kids suitably dressed and in car got to hubby's work, tracked hubby down who just couldn't possibly be sat at his desk, driven home again, stripped kids of outdoors clothes again and powered up computer etc) I am fast losing the will to live!
Start typing manage all of three sentences this time before youngest child comes in telling me that his tummy hurts because I never feed him and I am bad! I glance at clock and see that it is bang on midday!
So no typing finished, no washing on, no happy children and a cat who sits there judging you!
So sandwiches made, kids happily munching, have put washing machine on, time to sit down and get on with some serious work.
Yippee I have managed a couple of pages of invoices (however still miles behind) when youngest child comes in asking for a cloth, when asked why cloth is needed I am told "I want to do cleaning" now I know I really should go and investigate what actually needs cleaning however I believe he needs room to grow and experience life etc (plus my invoices are multiplying in the to do pile) so I pass a cloth and return to typing.
Ok can now hear lots of giggles and uh oh's going on, giggles abruptly stop along with a squelching noise that starts! Curiosity gets the better of me and I get up walk down the hallway and open the door to find they have painted the cat and the squelching noise is the squelch that occurred when cat kicked water pot over and smallest fell into wet patch! Thankfully it's just water paints so a quick towel dry of the cat and the child puts everything right again.
Painting implements confiscated it's back down to business. I glance up at the clock only to realise its 3pm and school finishes at 3.20pm and it's a 15 minute walk.! Grab kids, coats and keys and encourage them to run down the road as monsters are chasing us! Get there bang on 3.20pm. Home at 4pm (why does it always take twice as long to walk home?)
Now it's time to prepare tea, then it will be homework then bath time then bed, it's now 7pm am shattered and still only 2 invoices completed!
Working from home - DON'T DO IT!!
Sarah Gates
