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Community Corner

Juggling Family, Work

Moms struggle with the decision of whether to work full time, part time, or to be a full-time parent.

For most moms, the decision whether to work full-time, part time or to be a stay-at-home mom can be a tough one. Moms who decide to work out of the home or those who have to work out of the home often struggle with feelings of guilt about not being home with their kids. Meanwhile, stay-at-home moms, or moms who work from home, like, me, sometimes worry about not pulling their weight financially or feel the stigma from others for not having a full-time job.

Up until almost three years ago, I was a full-time working mom. I was an editor with the Wall Street Journal Online Network (at Dow Jones) and enrolled my daughters in the daycare there. While the preschool education they got there was excellent, I was often sad about the limited time I got to spend with my girls. I usually picked up my daughters from daycare anywhere between 5 p.m. and 6 p.m., and by the time we got home, there was a mad rush to get them bathed, fed and ready for bed. I sometimes felt like the teachers at the daycare, not me, were parenting my kids.

When I got laid off in 2008 after Rupert Murdoch purchased Dow Jones, I began working as a freelance editor and writer. While my hours are ideal, I feel guilty about the limited income I bring (in comparison to my previous full-time salary). But, the pluses are that I can be home with the girls in the afternoons, help them with their homework and take them to their after-school activities. I have accompanied them on school trips and I co-lead their Brownie Girl Scout troop.

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The other day, one of my daughters’ teachers called me at home, asking me if I could come into school the next day to help with a project. Which is great, but the first thing she asked me when she called was, “You don’t work, do you?” Once again, I felt those conflicting feelings of being happy that I can contribute to my daughters’ life by doing things like helping out at school, but also unhappy that people assume that I have no profession of my own.

 I have nothing against stay-at-home moms: When I worked full-time, I was very envious of the moms I knew who were at home all day with their kids. And I know that several of my friends (and my husband) must envy the time that I spend with my children, which is certainly a joy. And, just keeping the household running and my kids’ life organized takes up quite a bit of time.

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 I figure that no matter how I juggle my family and professional life, and whatever work/family balance I have, I will always question whether I am doing it right. I guess that’s just being a mom.

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