How do other working moms do it??? - Parenting Issues Message Board

Cheryl3 · 11-26-2002, 09:54 PM

Thanks for all the great replies!

[This message has been edited by Cheryl3 (edited 04-10-2003).]

2mmk · 11-27-2002, 06:21 AM

Cheryl first of all your not a terrible mom for working and your not alone!!!!! Believe me I know your frustrations!!! I go through similiar situation with three kids, I work outside the home and my husband also has his own business, so if or when there is any free time I'm suppose to do business book work. I'm very interested to see other suggestions as well. The only suggestion I have and it works now and then, is to cook alot with the crock-pot or do alot of grilling. Quick and easy during the week and I try to do a little more elaboriate meals on the weekends. (I'm fortunate to have weekends off). As far as house chores, my two older children are able to get off the bus after school at our house (I have a 10yr old girl & 7yr old boy-and my parents live next door) they each have one or two things to do: empty dishwasher, set table I also taught my daughter laundry!! - they are little jobs but help out tremendously!!! Also, my 7yr old son loves to cook?!!! So stirring, supervised cutting (potatoes), peeling, he helps out also. Now my 2yr old boy, - I try to involve him, but no luck, I go through: my son just basically wanting attention from me because I have been away all day thing. It is so hard to keep your cool because, and I have to remind myself, it is not his fault he just wants to see me. I have reverting to movies but sometimes he will sit for 10minutes and watch a short episode of Barney, Teletubbies or Bob the Builder I find myself running ragged!! Hang in there, remember someday it will get better (that is want keeps me half sane), and then they be grown and gone then a whole new set of emotions will evolve, but again I'm very interested also in any helpful advice!!!!

Lady^ · 11-27-2002, 07:04 AM

Hi. I don't have any kids, but I was wondering if he would behave for the promise he wants/likes later on? For example, maybe put off reading to him until after dinner, telling him that you will read him a book only if he behaves while you're in the kitchen. This way the choice is his....he can behave now and have a book read to him later, or he can misbehave now and not have a book read to him later. Or use something else that he likes.

Greenberry · 11-27-2002, 07:47 AM

My only solution was to put up a big baby gate across the huge opening between the living room and kitchen. When my daughter first started crawling around, it would drive me insane when she went and started pulling EVERYTHING out of the kitchen cabinets, so we got a big gate and she now has free run of her bedroom and the living room and the hallway between. I am free to cross the gate and cook without worrying about her getting underfoot, and there is a place at one of the counters (kind of a "breakfast bar" between the kitchen and living/dining room) where she has learned to pull out a chair from the dining room table and stand up in it and watch me cook, but without getting into everything. Sometimes I let her do things like dump things out of the cans or help me stir, but I'd really prefer that she observe from afar for the time being (she is 2 yrs 2 months.)

Cheryl3 · 11-27-2002, 09:16 AM

Thank you so much for the suggestions. The best part is to know that I'm not alone!!!! I think sometimes I get so caught up in the heat of the moment and trying to please everyone NOW that I can't think of logical solutions. I'd love to hear more!

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Cheryl