Community Voices for Health

By: Jessica Aldred

After nearly 7 years of being home with my children, I finally bit the bullet and reentered the work force full time. While I’ve always worked part time from home, or where my kids could come with me, I haven’t had a full work week, in an office, in years. Holy culture shock!

As if leaving my clingy 10 month old wasn’t hard enough, I now trudge through bumper to bumper traffic 3 days a week. While I’m only required to be in office 20 hours a week, once I get there I feel like I should just hunker down and get as much work done as possible. However, every moment spent in the office is time that I’m away from my home and the ease of running to get a sick kid, kiss a boo-boo, or toss dinner in the oven. I’ve got a great support system helping out from the child care angle, but it’s been very trying for this anxiety ridden mama.

You’d think that by the third kid, you’d be tossing him at whoever walked in the door to watch him, but it’s not that easy. Yes, I cried half way to work that first day and I don’t care who knows it. They drive me nuts when I’m stuck with them all day but I certainly miss their crazy antics while I’m away. With that said, there is certainly something about getting ready for work and being a full-blown adult for the day that is somewhat refreshing. The ease of working from home part time can’t be beat, but there’s something about putting on work clothes, grabbing a coffee and having some semblance of peace for the day, if traffic and meetings equate to peace anyway.

I knew this day would come sooner or later-I had planned on it actually, I just didn’t imagine I’d be leaving an infant at home. I had visions of putting both of my older boys on the bus and taking off for work, but never of leaving that gummy grin behind. I spent a lot of time, and money, on my education so abandoning the career I had always dreamed of was never in the cards. With the ever changing health care coverage offered by companies these days, my hand was somewhat forced to jump back into a full-time spot sooner than expected. It certainly helped that a fantastic opportunity came my way that I just couldn’t let slip by.

In addition to the emotional response of reentering the work force full time, I’ve also found the juggling act of 3 active boys and a home increasingly challenging. It was to be expected I guess, but man are we busy. It’s only my oldest two that have started with the sports and activities but I can only imagine how many directions I’ll be pulled once they’re all in school and activities. Don’t even get me started about the homework issue.

As I navigate this hectic schedule while scrambling to provide for my family, I often wonder: How are you handling this juggling act? Shout it out! We’d love to hear your perspective.