Working at Home – Freddy and Jason Have Got Nothing On Us!
Tue, Feb 10, 2009
Nothing scares me. Anymore.
Very rarely do I get in a real flap. Anymore.
My heart may pound. I may find myself breathing deeply.
I may even roll my eyes and feel my skin get tight.
But then I remember.
I've learned my lesson. About what's important.
And many times the kicker is, I even like it.
Unscheduled time with the kids. Power outages to kick back and just be.
An unexpected trip.
It's not so bad.
It wasn't always that way.
The funny thing is that not much has changed.
MURPHY'S LAW OF WORKING AT HOME
Having an especially heavy workload this week?
Fully expect to have one child sick, the rest off school for weather or a PD day (for the week) and your internet connection to foul up.
Need things to especially go well so that you can squeak through, and maybe even blow it out of the water?
HA!
The bus comes early so it's time to shut down and drive the kids to school, emergency of one kind or the other appear and take up the bulk of the day/week/month – what ever time period I'd be aiming for, and/or someone needs something for school – yesterday.
If you're a mom or a dad, working at home, you know exactly what I'm talking about.
IT USED TO BOTHER ME
Why me? Why now? Who exactly did I tick off in another life?
But over the years I have learned something important that you may be finding out too.
Kids learn by example.
Getting all fired up because things aren't going 'our way' doesn't help.
In fact, it hurts.
Ever been in a great mood to have a child, adult or what ever come in the house in a 'mood'.
How fast has it burst your bubble?
Do you really want to be on the bursting end?
Consistently?
Do you really want a houseful of grown offspring acting like… children?
To create a multiple of yourself in a bad mood because things didn't go your way? How many of you will there be? Insert # of children and add your spouse too.
Like creates like. You want peace and quiet. Right?
Then be peaceful and quiet.
Even on 'those' days.
I WAS TRULY SHOCKED
Much to my surprise, I've noticed that the script of our life here wasn't written around me and my comings and goings and doings and undoings.
However wrong that may seem.
Regardless, most days I set the tone.
Some days, that's a heavy load.
And one we aren't always aware of.
Are you aware? Do you think your ups and downs go unnoticed?
Think again!
There's something else that I couldn't help notice.
WHAT'S IMPORTANT
Almost every 'flap' that I've ever been in has been unnecessary.
A matter of giving it more time. Asking someone to wait.
A matter of not pushing the envelope.
A matter of simply admitting that something is out of my control.
WHAT A CONCEPT!
Especially for a work at home parent who's very being often seems to depend on being 'in control'.
Newsflash.
There is no such thing.
Trying to take control is what gives being on a treadmill true meaning.
And running yourself into the ground. Running on the spot.
And all that fun stuff that sounds so tiring, stressful and exhausting.
Trying to take control is self defeating, although it seems to be the opposite.
You can be ready.
You can have a plan.
But you can't control anyone or anything but yourself.
That's the good part.
YOU DECIDE
Smile or cry.
Be happy with what you do have or complain about what you don't.
Love or Don't.
BEST ADVICE?
Accept it.
Chill.
Do your best.
Enjoy your life.
Enjoy your kids most of all.
They depend on you.
They love you.
Like nothing else.
Go hug your kids.
Make them smile.
Show them the love.
Sigh.
And get back to work.
Or not.
Tags: personal development, stress relief, Working At Home With Kids
I like it when you said that ‘Enjoy your kids most of all, do your best and enjoy life”. That;s the life of a work at home moms.