The thing I miss most about working is that I used to have something else to think about. Something I thought was more important than whether or not it was BS that the kiddie soccer program allowed there to be a “private” soccer lesson in lieu of the class they advertised. (The bitching got them to create a new class for my friends and me. Ah, my negotiation skills I learned on the job are paying off in the mommy world. Wait, is it the other way around?)
The thing I miss about working is that now I have to figure out how I’m supposed to fill a dreary, rainy cold spring afternoon. When I was at work, I could just schedule an afternoon meeting or something. I never had to think about my “summer schedule” being opposite from all my friends. Or that my son missed the cut off for drop-off summer camp (rue those April birthdays). Or the BPA-hype. Oh! The BPA-hype. Never in my life did I picture myself watching my son swing on gymnastic rings chatting with a friend about the dangers of plastic. The last time I worried about plastic doing me any bodily harm was when I was still using these. I’ve come a long way from ribbed, people.
I used to chat about the latest CEO scandal. Now, my afternoons are spent gossiping and quoting news sources about the Miley Cyrus incident. Seriously, I had no clue who Miley Cyrus was 6 months ago. Now, I’m questioning whether or not her “handlers” were complicit. I even roped my husband into the conversation. It’s his fault.
I push shopping carts with little plastic cars on the front where the kids sit around the supermarket in my sweatpants with my hair in a greasy bun where people smirk at me. I am not used to being smirked at as “that poor mom.” But I was so that poor mom today.
My calendar is now filled with people’s names and addresses for playdates rather than meetings and client calls. However, instead of blowing off a client ringing my line, I anxiously await for my phone to ring hoping for a shred of gossip or future planmaking. Then I gossip and remind myself that there have to be other things to talk about. Like Miley Cyrus. Or that crazy mom from the gymnastics class who lets her son run around like a maniac. Oh, wait. That counts as gossip.
I don’t need to go to bed so early anymore because I don’t have to get dressed until 10 am if I don’t want to. I forget that my working mom friends still go to bed at 9 pm, though, and call them too late. Heading to Starbucks for my chai tea is my morning meeting. I even started talking to the baristas out of boredom. And I don’t even have the petty cash to waste at Starbucks anymore.
The thing I don’t miss about working is that even if I got to think about conference calls and writing plans, I wasn’t doing it happily. I’m happy most of the time staying in my workout clothes all day. Hey, at least I got to workout. Sometimes I feel like a walking cliche, but at least I do it with a smile on my face 99% of the time. Sometimes I think I need a life, but then I look at all I’ve done today as a mom and I’m pretty satisfied with the one I have. Greasy hair, bad gossip and all.
{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }
Good for you…good for you!
Seriously, I know if I were to suddenly stop working at my office that it would be a HUGE transition. There are days I love working and there are days I wish I was at home full-time with my kids.
And if it makes you feel better, I tried to rope my husband into a conversation about Miley Cyrus at dinner.
What working mothers do you know that go to bed at 9pm. That’s when my son goes to bed and there is no friggin way I’m going to bed at the same time – momma needs her alone time.
I’m up until at least 11:30 every night- which is 1:30am your time. So you can toataly call me and we can liove it up. Although my office gossip isn’t all that great.
And I’ve been so busy with trying to keep my job with the pending lay-offs that I haven’t even read up on the BPA scandal. I’m feeling a teensy bit guilty about that.
I so wish you lived in Cali. Then I’d be gunning for the layoff so we can be greasy haired together. Miss you!
In a perfect world I would work part time but my company doesn’t have that option. If you ever need a reminder of the crappy aspects of the PR world, give me a call. I have a client that torments me pretty much 24/7.
just for the record, I am a SAHM but hopefully have never been looked upon as “that poor mom.” I enjoy being at home with my 4 and 5 year old boys, and I manage to look pretty darned good while doing so. Must we always play “the grass is always greener” game? I left the corporate world to take care of my children because I know that no one else in the world (outside of immediate family) could take care of them like I could. Some of us are okay with our decision, and we are not objects of pity. Or are we?
No poignant comments here. Just wanted to say I enjoy reading about life on “the other side”