| The Juggling Act |
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Written by Debbie Panell
In Ring One we have Work. Whether you have to be in an office at 8 am sharp, or have the leniency to begin your day when you please, you still have obligations to meet. I am fortunate to work from home. As a writer, you would think I sit at the computer when inspiration hits, a profound piece of knowledge that must escape my head to the “paper” and release itself for public approval. This couldn’t be further from the truth. Most days, I am at my computer by 7am. Typically, I don’t get totally off before 9 or 10 pm. I have an inbox full of requests for articles, all with deadlines. Various IM programs flashing their blinking screams with editors checking in on a nearly hourly basis to see how I’m doing. I often feel like telling them every minute I spend replying to them takes away time from writing, but, just as in an office, you can’t tell you boss that! I have phone calls to make, interviews to conduct, and research to do. All while trying to keep the one year old from pulling the keyboard off my desk! Ring Two! The husband, partner, friends and social obligations that are so important to our life demand our attention as well. As with Many working mothers, I often neglect these things, and feel a horrible guilt over it! Whether I’m too tired to spend time with my husband in the evening, or just not interested in going to a friends house for a cup of coffee (most of them have learned they have to come to me to get my attention), or have a deadline and have to pass on the Saturday morning yard sales with my friends, there’s always a cloud hanging overhead. Recently, a friend asked me if I would be interested in volunteering my time and services for the town boards public relations department – the group that organizes town festivals and fairs and other various family oriented activities. I would have loved to. I really would have. But I hardly have time for what’s on my plate now, much less time to volunteer to write press releases and brochures for the town! And attending meetings (in PERSON?) oh no, there’s no time for that! And finally the center ring – the children and home! My eight year old is independent enough to be relatively self-sufficient. Not so much the case with the one year old! He has good days and bad, and the bad are usually the days when the minutes are ticking by and I haven’t even started the research for whatever article I’m supposed to be writing. He’s either trying to climb into my lap or pull the keyboard off the desk (and once stole my mouse which resulted in an hour long search). I would love it if I could drop everything when he wants to play, but sadly, that’s not always the case. And I haven’t mentioned the pile of laundry that sits perpetually in the laundry room, or the beds that are rarely made or that dinner is often prepared at the last minute with the horrified thought “ Oh No! It’s dinner time- ALREADY!” So what’s a working mom to do? I could say that I have some divine pearl of wisdom to impart to you, but I don’t. You do the best you can. When you are able to be with your children – ENJOY them. Push cars around on the floor, or read silly books or play a game of chutes and ladders. When you are with your friends, ENJOY them. Have that second cup of coffee, sit and listen to their problems, and share your with them. Try to make the time to cuddle with your spouse on the sofa during a movie, daydream about winning the lottery, and snuggle up to him in bed. ENJOY being with him. We tend to take the most important people in our lives for granted – try not to let that happen. Remember your love, and where your priorities lie. As for the laundry . . . well, eventually everyone will run out of clean underwear and you’ll be forced into washing it! ------------------------- |
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