Fitting It All In
One of the greatest challenges I’ve faced in the last year is balancing family time with work. I’m sure many other busy parents can relate. When I decided to begin working outside of my home for the first time in eleven years, I knew it would mean a lot of changes for our family. I’m not sure I realized how much.
We’ve gone from having home-cooked meals every evening to being thankful to sit down together a couple nights week. I’ve missed picking my daughter and her friends up at the bus stop after school more times than I can count. I’ve had to leave a softball game or two early because of an appointment.
Fitting it all in is just one of the reasons my husband and I decided to renew our wedding vows last weekend. While our girls were used to their father being gone much of the day, they have had to adjust to me not being there for them as much as we all would like. I never want them to feel like my job takes priority over them, despite the numerous hours I put in. I felt this simple ceremony reaffirming our commitment to each other and to our family was an important step in helping us all stay connected.
What are some ways you find to fit it all in? How do you stay connected?
That balance in life is a never ending challenge for me too, Cheryl. I am fortunate to not work in the summer as I am a speech/language pathologist at an elementary school which helps the balance somewhat though there always seems to be new challenges in balancing family and writing even then. I am working on writing first thing in the mornings before the day gets away from me. Some days it works and others, not so much. Good luck!
Thanks for the comment, Karin. Hope you have a productive summer vacation. Will your children be attending any camps this year? This is the first time in a while I’ve actually considered it because of my work schedule.
Hi Cheryl,
I don’t think we are doing any camps this year. Too much chaos with baseball and tennis and such.
Enjoy your summer!
Karin