Finding balance

“Balance” is one of those words that modern mothers bandy about.  We talk about balancing work and family.  But, I daresay that few of us really feel we are 100 percent balanced between the two on any given day.

I’ve realized over these last couple of months of working with a little one that one day I feel balanced and the next day I feel out of whack.  It’s a daily struggle.  Working from home leaves me in that gray area in between stay-at-home moms and working-outside-the-home moms.  Mostly that’s a good thing.  On the good days, I realize that I can still do the two jobs I love — the writing one that I’ve been doing for years and the mom one that I just started.  On the bad days, I feel torn between the two.  I struggle to spend enough time not only taking care of my daughter but also enjoying her while still meeting the deadlines.

Everyday I learn more and more about balance.  Right now, for example, I am typing this while a sleepy girl hangs out in my lap.  Yesterday I wrote an article on my laptop while sitting on the floor beside her as she did tummy time.  This morning I did two phone interviews while she took her morning nap.  A few days ago, I let a work call go to voicemail as I fed her.  It’s all about balance.

Will the balance that I find work for every mom who’s trying to live her life while still being a mother?  No.  Will it work for me always?  Of course not.  Right now, I honestly think it’s easier because my daughter is not yet mobile.  She will change.  I will change.  And we’ll make it work together.

We take it one day at a time!