Working Moms. . .It Absolutely Takes A Village!

Until you are a parent, I don’t think you can really understand the magnitude of the phrase, “It takes a village to raise a child.” Well let me tell you, it absolutely take a village! Whether you have one child or five children, if you are a single-parent, married, co-parenting, it doesn’t matter.  Being a parent is nothing short of amazing and exhausting all at the same time, and in order to provide for the little ones we’ve created, we have to work. So, who’s taking care of our children while we are putting in these crazy hours? Our spouses, child’s mother/father, our parents, grandparents, teachers, daycare providers, friends. . .I mean, should I go on?

For me, being a working mom is especially stressful and has sometimes made me question if I should step away from my career to stay at home until the kids are all in school.  From the time I wake up until my head hits the pillow at night, the amount of stress and pressure I’m under as a wife, mother, and professional sometimes is just too much. Seriously, you have to get yourself together, then make sure your children are dressed, groomed, and fed before heading off to work for at least 8 hours. Then, you have homework, dinner, bedtime routines, and if you have a significant other, time for them, too. Oh yeah. . .don’t forget to squeeze in a second for yourself (literally a second because if you have kids like mine, that’s all you get).

Let me tell you, 2017 was a tough year for me, and lately, I’ve had to depend on my village more than I’ve ever had.  The kids all go to separate places and have to be picked up at different times.  My husband’s schedule varies from days to nights every week, so coordinating our lives/schedules isn’t always the easiest. Travis is in a program for children with Autism, so he rides the school bus to his school outside of our neighborhood. Ethan attends the neighborhood school in a half-day pre-k program, and  Logan attends daycare full-time.

But, thank God for my village! When my husband or I can’t be there to get Travis off the bus, or when Ethan needs someone to take care of him and get him to and from school, or when Logan needs to get to and from daycare, my village is there! Picking Travis up and taking him to my mom’s home until I can get there, walking Ethan to school in the cold, rain and snow, making sure Logan is taken care of, or even traveling from a different state just so I can get a break. I am so blessed!

So, let’s talk. Who’s in your village helping to support your goals and your family? Have you thanked them lately? Do you realize how blessed you are?

Listen, my husband knows first hand just how much of a complainer I am, and I really complain more than I should. However, my job is stressful, managing the daily responsibilities of parenting is overwhelming, and still putting it down on my husband (on the regular) takes work. But, I wouldn’t be able to do any of it without my village, and for that, I am grateful.  So, thank you to my husband, my mom, my mother-in-love, and my dear friend, Givonya for being my village lifting up my children when I can’t be there. You are the reason I am able to not give up and continue to reach my goals.

💜 Tiarra