A Grey Area in The Motherhood Work Juggle
GROUPING AND CATEGORIZING
When we organize things we try to group and categorize them in a way that makes logical sense. We put things into boxes and containers. We might even take great joy in getting out our label maker. We are looking for order and routine. This was me recently when I took on the insurmountable task of creating some sense of our pantry which had taken on a life of it’s own with some help from our three kiddos!
WHAT IF YOU DON’T FIT NEATLY IN A BOX?
However, what if things or people, don’t fit into a clearly defined category? When I became a mom – this was me. I saw moms who knew that they were going to return to full-time work after their maternity and parental leaves and I saw moms who knew that they were going to stay home full-time at least until their kiddos were in school all day. I didn’t see myself in either of those boxes and found myself in that “grey”, not easily definable area of wanting to work part-time and I felt really uncomfortable and unsure. I didn’t know what “box” was going to be the right fit for my approach to motherhood and work and maybe there really wasn’t a defined “container” at all?
COMMUNITY
I was looking for someone who would understand what I was hoping for in my motherhood juggle. Over the years, I have found a community of moms who are also in this “grey” area and have so valued sharing strategies, stories, and support with one another. I’ve also come to appreciate that even at the extreme ends of the continuum – choosing to work full-time or stay-at-home full-time – there is huge diversity in what this looks like and how families manage this. I have also seen and experienced that what this looks like changes over time with the ages and stages of children and all of the obstacles and opportunities that life throws our way.
WE HAVE CHOICES
At the end of the day, there are so many choices for how moms approach swinging motherhood and work and so many reasons for why moms make the decisions that they do. Judgement and criticism is so divisive. It should not be an us vs. them or better vs. worse or harder vs. easier. Who are we to say or decide that. There is always more to someone’s story than what we see as a passive observer from the outside looking in. No matter what the approach to motherhood and work, I think that we can support, uplift, share ideas and stories, be inspired by, and be united in this wonderfully crazy adventure of motherhood.
I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU!
What are the challenges you have faced in figuring out your motherhood and work juggle? What strategies, supports, and resources have been the most helpful for you? What challenges have you faced along the way and how did you overcome them?
I’ll take all the ideas, tips, and tricks that I can get as I navigate my way through The Part-Time Jungle.
Tiana
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