MichMoms

New year presents new challenges: balancing motherhood and a part-time job

Happy 2013!  I love the holiday season, but I also love the chance to take a break from the whirlwind of activity and take time to reflect where I have been and where I am going.

This year presents a new set of challenges.  I am starting a very part-time job teaching social media strategy for business at a local college one night a week.  I am excited to combine my teaching background with my passion for social media.  However, I would be remiss if I did not mention that I am extremely anxious about accepting this new position.

For the past six years, all my energy and focus has been on raising babies.  My schedule has revolved around their commitments: school, play dates, activities.  My mind has been devoted solely to childrearing practices such as potty training and creating (and forever evolving) daily routines.  Sleep deprivation and fulfilling every basic need for each child left little room for anything else.  I haven’t put a hard demand on my time for quite some time, unless you count my Zumba or yoga class which is always strongly suggested and never set in stone.

Even though I only teach one day a week, I think I am anxious about the real estate space it will take up in my mind.  Now that they are a little older, I feel that space has been freed up for other things, like writing and teaching.  I almost feel guilty for reclaiming that tiny, little corner of my mind for me.

I feel guilt, excitement, nervousness — the ultimate mashup of emotions.

I keep on reminding myself that I am not managing 150 teenagers and grading 75 research papers like I was when I was an English teacher.  I am also hoping that time spent with Daddy will be a good bonding experience as well as showing how we, as husband and wife, support each other to reach our individual goals.

Do you work outside of the home?  How do you balance your responsibilities at home with those at work — careful planning and copious amounts of coffee?  Or do you wing it and hope for the best?

Erin Rawlings
Erin is a former junior high English teacher who thought she’d teach and have babies.  End. Of. Story. Erin is a stay-at-home mom to her six year old daughter and three year old son and lives in Macomb Township with her family. Erin’s journey took an unexpected turn when she began blogging and rediscovered her love for writing while connecting with others. Mommyonthespot.blogspot.com documents all her on-the-spot observations on life and motherhood.

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