The Hampster Wheel called "Mommyhood"

When I became a mom four years ago, I dreamed of how life would be if I didn't have to work and could be a stay-at-home mom. I used to envy my friends that had the 'luxury'. I used to think, "how stressful can their lives be?" I envisioned going to Mommy & Me groups, long walks with my child in their stroller, time to invest in my friendships, being skinny, cooking wonderful dinners, not having to pay a housekeeper to clean my house, not being stressed, etc.

How does the saying go?... 'The grass isn't always greener next door'

I am going to stop for one second and put in my disclaimer. By no means am I not thankful for my life at this very moment. I actually am loving being a stay-at-home mom! It just isn't not what a working mom might dream about.

Okay back to my point... My life is crazier now that it ever was when I work full-time in a very highly stressful job. I am more disorganized and have even less time for myself. Stress just shifted from one stress to a completely new type.

I have been off work for 8 months now and am finally getting myself on some type of schedule. My husband suggested that perhaps we might need to bring our housekeeper back at least once a month. I don't cook dinners. I really don't have the time. I have less time for 'me' than I ever did before. I don't get a 15 minute break nor a 1/2 hour lunch. I am lucky to go to the bathroom by myself these days. I can not have any type of phone conversation while the children are awake because I will be constantly interrupted. My chores take longer now. Maybe it's because I don't feel the intense pressure of time to get them all done in the evening or over the weekend or maybe it's because I have children following me around all day long.

My current daily schedule is broken into four different segments: Morning consists of getting the kids up, fed & clothed, dropping Princess at school and then running to a dr. appt, errands, chores, KinderGym, or my gym if Pirate thinks it will work for him. The next segment begins around 11am when Pirate takes is nap. I do chores that can't be done with Pirate underfoot (most all these days), I take a shower, return a phone call when needed, check email, look for a job, etc. The third segment beings when Pirate wakes form his nap. I feed him and then run back up to preschool to pick up Princess, feed her a snack and begin carousing the fridge for ideas for dinner. The fourth and final segment begins when Dear Husband comes home from work. We prepare dinner, get the kiddos bathed and to bed, and then watch an hour of reality television and hit the sack to start our day all over again the next morning.

My days are so regimented now that I am finding there is no beginning and ending. Everything just runs together. I am going 24/7 still - just like when I worked full-time yet now I don't have a 'hard' beginning and ending to segments in my day. Before, I would change hats as I went through my day depending on what role I was in. I am always wearing the same hat now.

Dear friends that are full-time employees along with being moms, please know that life isn't easier when you stay home. Life isn't less stressful. It's just different. It has it's pros & cons just like everything in life. I wouldn't change the life I have right now yet I would love a few perks and benefits I had when I was a working girl. BTW... I didn't even mention the closet full of clothes and shoes I don't get to wear now.