From the Desk of the Working Mom

Summer is in full-swing at my house.  And with it… the new variety of germs that seem to come every year, as the weather gets warm and my children suddenly decide it’s ok to share everyone’s everything, anywhere they happen to be.
These past 2 weeks have been a brutal cycle of sick…on the mend…feeling great and ready to party, just as a sibling (I have 3 children) starts the cycle all over again. Thus the next kid is sick and needs to be tended to

while the previous is hysterical…not b/c she doesn’t feel well, but rather because she is feeling SO well and wants to get out and play but can’t because Mom is stuck tending to her sick sibling. 

Admittedly one of my 3 is FAR worse about not being able to get on with her regularly scheduled Summer-fun programming, than the other 2.  And for that reason…I’ve enrolled her in Theatre camp.  One way or another, SOMETHING good is going to come from me having to listen to the whining and so I am going to channel her dramatics into this program,  with the hope of being mentioned in her Academy Award acceptance speech someday.

Anyhoo….last week was the stomach virus.  I won’t go into too much detail except to say my cat, Julius, won’t ever be the same. Nor will he ever sleep on the floor, just below the top bunk.

This week….Strep throat and Pink Eye…Pink EYES to be exact.

Here’s the rundown for those keeping score:

• My Drama Queen had both the stomach virus AND strep throat 
• My Son had only the stomach virus and a severe cold  
• My baby had the stomach virus and Pink Eyes

***I feel the need to mention that the baby laughed her way through her bout with the stomach virus.  I'm guessing it had more to do with the fact that I relocated a few of her favorite toys to the bathroom where we camped out over night (It just made cleanup easier)

 

Antibiotics have been administered and eye drops have been dropped….though I have to say, trying to give a baby eye drops is something akin to target practice from the Moon.  And I also have to say that thanks to the anitbiotic, I didn't have to go to the gym one time during this whole episode b/c chasing my kids through the house, dispenser in hand, trumped anything I was going to do on a treadmill. 

With all that being said….you’re no doubt wondering, “What does any of this have to do with work?”

Well I’ll tell you.  Not a darn thing.  While in the midst of any of this stuff, you can’t get anything else done. Nothing. Despite best intentions and bester efforts. (Yeah I said it…bester) 

Again, I’m lucky…EXTRAORDINARILY lucky….The kind of lucky that wins the lottery (though hasn’t!!!!!! ) to be able to work from home and more importantly, that I report to someone who understands the need to get things taken care of at home while trusting that I will find a way (AND I DID!) to get my work done.

Here's the thing…when the kids get sick, and we know they do, there is nothing else that can (or should) be done before making sure your children get well. Companies that pressure employees to cut corners with regard to their own healthcare or that of their children, are in the end going to lose good employees.  But in my book….I’d rather be a good parent. 

I'm a firm believer that good parents make GREAT employees and I value working for a company that feels the same.

With love and heavy doses of Vitamin C,

The WM

How were the Kids? “Perfect. After all, they are MY grandchildren”

How were the Kids? “Perfect. After all, they are MY grandchildren”

When our children are in the care of others (Teachers, Babysitters, Family etc.) and we pick them up, we always ask “How were they?”

Well let me ask you this…. when you ask that question….do you REALLY want to know the answer? 

With regard to family, and I’m VERY LUCKY because I have a hands-on family most of whom live within a 5 mile radius of me, depending on which family member has been watching the kids, I can predict the answer:

      Dad (aka Grandpa)

• My Dad is the best Dad in the world.  He loves his children, my sisters and I, unconditionally but until I gave him grandchildren, I never knew how expendable I truly was. Grandchildren are the fiber of his being and anyone that knows him, has met him, will meet him in the future or happens to be employed at Costco (his FAVORITE store on the planet) will inevitably know every detail about his grandchildren- their names, ages, grade in school, reading level, mathematic and basketball ability and favorite food (Are you getting the picture???).  According to him, these 5 children, and any additional who are yet to come, will each grow up to be President, they will together, find a cure for cancer and they will each be enshrined in Canton, Cooperstown and Springfield (for those of you who don’t know the significance of these cities, they are home to the Football, Baseball and Basketball Halls of Fame, respectively).

So…it stands to reason, that if I’ve left my kids with my Dad for any length of time, when I pick them up and ask “How were they?” , his answer will always be a simple “Perfect. After all, they are MY grandchildren”.  And that’s it.  Someone could have lit the garbage on fire and bleached the dining room carpet, and his answer will not change.  It’s ridiculous almost infuriating to the point that  I actually walk out of his house muttering to myself about how he NEVER would’ve let me get away with whatever he lets them get away with, whatever that is since I’ve already told you, I’ll never know.

      Mom (aka Grandma)

• My Mom, on the other hand, is an excellent counter- balance to my Dad.  She too adores her grandchildren taking great pride in each and every one of their accomplishments.  However, as it was when I was a kid, my Mom is the “heavy” as I suppose many Moms/Grandmothers are in their own families.  If there’s discipline to be doled out, it ain’t coming from Grandpa so it’s left for her to handle…which stinks sometimes.   

She’s fun and creative and has boundless energy which is a good thing considering, in reality, when the kids are with Grandma and Grandpa….Grandma is really the one doing all of the “heavy lifting” ie cooking, homework, and kissing boo-boos.  And while she won’t dime them out in any great detail when I ask her “How were they?”, she will give me snip-its of truth related only to the things she thinks it’s important that I know i.e. Darby might be hungry later b/c she didn’t eat anything for dinner or you need to make sure you stain-stick Zachary’s pants ASAP b/c he just happened to “fall” on a permanent maker. 

My Mom runs circles around me for sure …she’s a stop-what-she’s-doing and  sit on the floor to play a game, and a stay-up-late and watch movies and eat popcorn, and a have ice cream for breakfast kind of Grandma but, she’s also a reliable source of info. about the children when I’m not there to be with them in-person.  I always trust what she tells me, and I trust that anything she didn't mention ireally wasn’t important for me to know. I love that.

Sisters (aka The Aunts)

My sister Emily falls into the same category as my Dad.  She will NEVER release information that might incriminate one of her precious Nieces or Nephews. NEVER.  It’s not even worth wasting the breath it takes to ask “How were they?” because whatever they did, she’s taking it to the grave…and they know it.  Sometimes I think I should get Emily and the kids matching satin jackets with an embroidered name on the back just to show their solidarity….they are their own gang and she is their Leader.  Dad is perhaps, their mascot.   Aunt Emily always comes through in the clutch and I ALWAYS trust that she can handle any situation thrown her way....and I also trust that anything she can't handle, will be cleaned up really well to the point that I'll never know it happened:)

My sisters Jodi and Perri, are more in line with my Mom.  They are funloving and crazy and active and outgoing but they can put on the Authority Hat when necessary.  Again, they would never give me any information that might get someone into trouble but they will let me know snipits, when it’s something they think is important. 

 

In fairness, I have to assess myself as I now have a Niece and a Nephew of my own (courtesy of Jodi).  I think I fall more in line with my Mom, I’m pretty honest about what happens on my watch, BUT, I expect that my Sister trusts that I handled any situation that may have arisen while the kids were with me and therefore no one is getting into any trouble at home, as a result of anything that happened with me…because that’s just not fun.

When I started my family, my parents were clear with my Husband and I that while discipline is important, the rules at my house are just that.   And the rules at their house aren’t necessarily the same…nor should they be.  There are certain privileges that come with Grandparenthood and I’m reminded of that on a near daily basis (by my parents).

I’ve mentioned it before in my posts…..It definitely takes a village.  I’m so lucky because my village is available on a moment’s notice, to step in when I can’t be at a school show or when the big game happens to coincide with a big meeting.  Regardless of what I’m told or not told about “how they were”, I never worry about what goes on when I’m not there because I trust that they (even my Dad) are handling situations as they arise and I also trust that my kids respect their grandparents and Aunts and Uncles, as they do their parents. 

So if one of my kids spills an ice cream on someone’s dog and I don’t find out about it…so what.  After a long day of work, when I finally get to pick up my kids to head home and after I’ve thanked whichever Village-member has so graciously helped me out yet again by stepping in with the kids…. As I turn back and causally toss out that last “How were they?” to be honest, all I was really hoping to hear anyway was “They were fine”.   

SEPTA Stories - Excuse me. May I please sit there?

I am a SEPTA Regional Rail Commuter. This blog will feature stories from the rails. Some are funny, some not so funny & some are very very strange!

My first entry is entitled “Excuse me. May I please sit there?”

To set the seen; It’s my morning commute from Jenkintown to Suburban Station. I take any train between 6:00 AM & 7:00 AM. If you’re not a Regional Rail Commuter; most SEPTA trains have one side with 3 seats and the other side with 2 seats. At each end of the car there are the 4 seaters (my favorite). Oh, by the way. It’s important to know I am 6’4” and weigh 260 lbs.

Question? How many times have you gotten on the train and said to yourself. “Where Do I Sit!”

I scope out the train and realize the only open seats are the middle seat on the 3 seat side of the aisle. I find the row with the 2 smallest & thinnest people. Why? Because, I’d like to fit in the seat and not sit on top of someone!

As I walk down the aisle some people are looking up at me with the look saying “You better not sit here, I’m not moving!” While others are pretending they’re reading or asleep.

I choose my row carefully. I look down and the middle seat is filled with a briefcase or a bag or something else.  

You stand there waiting for them to move their stuff. There are people standing behind you waiting to get by. The seated passengers just look at you.

Their look is saying: “Oh you want to sit here? Well my things are here” Or they just stare at you and don’t move anything. (If only looks could kill)

You look down again and they make you say “Excuse me. May I please sit there?” They grunt and groan & eventually move their things. You have now officially ruined their day!

I didn’t ask for their first born. I wasn’t trying to steal their things. I just wanted to sit down for the next 20 minutes. What happened to plain old common courtesy?

So if you see me coming down the aisle on a crowded train & I’m looking at you, it means; I’ll most likely say “Excuse me. May I please sit there?” I’m sorry, but I really didn’t mean to ruin your day.

Happy Rails!

Stay tuned for my next blog. It’s about the infamous quiet car ride!

Maybe the Poet Laureate reference was an embellishment

The Working Mom is working hard….My house is back to school/daycare and though the hum of our routine is barely audible just yet, we’re getting there.

As I was packing up my 2 older children for the first day of school, I realized I had a tip to share with you fine folks….and when I began this blog, I promised tips every now and again…so here it is:

If your children require “nap” items for school or daycare…i.e. blankets, pillows etc., send them in to school zipped in the clear plastic packaging of a comforter or sheets that you’ve purchased.  It’s a clean way to neatly store them at school, plus there’s usually a little sleeve on the front where you can stick a piece of paper with your child’s name on it, for easy recognition in the classroom.

I started doing this a couple of years ago so now, I’m careful to save any kind of zippered plastic packaging…you might want to do the same.

Now that the tip is out of the way….let’s talk homework.

Is it me, or has homework changed?  When I was growing up….I had worksheets (or "dittos" as they were called) with blank spaces all over them.   My job was to fill in the blanks, in my room, with a pencil…end of story.

Apparently, times have changed…my first grader comes home with multi-media, seek and find, you may need to contact your nearest Poet Laureate for this….homework.

Ok, maybe the Poet Laureate reference was an embellishment but I’m telling you, my Journalism degree will only take me so far with this stuff and I fear that I can see the "so far" in my rear-view mirror already.  I’m telling you, we are cutting and pasting our way to whole new Homework reality.

After week one…really, after day 1, I knew we were in trouble (though my Husband has yet to fully admit this). 

To combat the Homework haplessness in my house (and by that I’m strictly referring to my husband and myself as our son has done really well with his part of all assignments thus far)…I’ve established a Parental- Homework buddy system.  I reached out to one of the Moms with whom I’ve become friendly, and was perfectly candid with her….the initial call went something like this. 

Ring, ring (really, I was calling her cell phone so it was probably less of a ring, ring and more of a snappy ringtone).  “Hi! May I speak to Lauren? (It was her husband)….it’s Heidi, Zachary’s Mom”.

Her Husband “She’s putting the kids to sleep….but let me guess,  this has something to do with Math Explorations”.

Me, ”You got it! Can I leave a message?  Here goes, please write this down.  If you don’t help me, help Zachary with his homework….we will never get out of week1 of Math Explorations—urgent assistance needed”. 

To which he responded (after he finished laughing) “Will do…us too!!”

So when she returned my call, promptly I might add as her Husband clearly passed along my message with the necessary crazed inflection I’d intended, she and I started a judgment-free dialogue (usually over email) that has since been shared with several other parents in the class…where we essentially “whisper down the lane” (But with accuracy) our way through the nightly homework assignments..

In the Math Explorations book, it says that we’re supposed to be discovering new concepts around every turn.  See…here…I DID make a discovery!!!! After talking with my homework buddies,  I discovered that I wasn’t the only adult relying upon a 6 year old to guide me through the “learning with my Adult” section of the nightly homework…and I felt better about that.

But…to be truthful, I have to tell you that even with this newfound support-system…I truly relish Fridays now because of our Teacher’s (and I say “our Teacher” because in my house, we are ALL learning from her) policy of “no homework” weekends.  It gives me 2 free nights to get geared up for what Math Explorations has in store for me in the week ahead J.

Sincerely,


The Working Mom

I’m going to be claiming “it’s baby weight” until my kid is 18!!!!

I’m baaaack……

The Working Mom is now Mom to more…..3 to be exact.  We’ve recently added a beautiful baby girl to our family, and you’ll be happy to know that in the 8 short weeks since her arrival, I already have filled 2 notebooks with notes to be included in future WM posts!

I am back to working full-time now, but I’m doing it from home until the beginning of September.  I’m lucky because my job can be done from home when necessary (ie someone is sick etc.) but I’ve never in my 15 years in the workforce, worked from home full-time, for any length of time.  I’ve always wondered what it would be like, and now I have the opportunity (thanks to a VERY understanding Boss) to find out. 

I’m entering my third week at home and I can tell you that I’ve learned a few things already:

• Staff meetings are key-  So in my home office, my staff consists of my Husband, son, and now my 2 daughters.  They are pretty great at their jobs which while I’m home consist entirely of pretending like I’m not at home.  Before I went back to work, I sat everyone down and explained the difference between “school-day” (as my Son calls Monday-Friday) Mommy and “weekend” Mommy.  I used two Barbie dolls to illustrate my point with my middle Daughter shouting out, “Paradise Pool Barbie doesn’t go to work Mommy”. In any case, they seemed to get my point that while I’m working from home, everything is the same as it is when I’m working in my office….in other words, all questions go to Daddy until I get “home from work”.  So far so good.
• Casual every days are over-rated-  Now I can honestly say that I’ve longed for a “Casual Friday” now and then when my jeans and a sweater would be acceptable work attire, however, even with the opportunity to work in my pajamas (lovely visual I’m sure!), I’ve decided to get up each morning the same way I do when I’m commuting into the office….putting on my regular work clothing.  Now you’re sitting there reading this and thinking “this third kid has really done her in…she’s lost her mind”  but in fact, I feel more productive and able to tackle my workload when I’m dressed in work clothes, than I ever could dressed in sweats and a t-shirt.  The clothes get me into the “work” frame of mind and out of the “housework” one.
• Warning….Lose the belt- Working at home is NOT good for the diet.  So while I’m sitting at my desk zipping through my work, I’m able (quite easily) to tune out all of the other things that might need to be addressed in my house (ie the floors that need mopping, the clothes that need folding etc).  The one thing I cannot tune-out however, is the giant pantry sitting in my kitchen that is filled to the brim with every snack imaginable.  You know all of those things you buy for your kids that you swear you’re never going to eat yourself (think cookies, fruit snacks and tastykakes), well I’m eating them.  It’s aweful!  Their ready availability is my downfall.  I am working on some resolutions to this situation but so far, none have worked, so for now,  I’m writing this off to “baby weight”.
• Savor the commute-  The absolute worst part of my job, is my commute.  It’s easy…don’t get me wrong…I just jump on a train and walk a bit and I’m in my office.  But when all is said and done, I spend a good two and a half hours out of my day, commuting.  On the contrary, the BEST part of working from home…is the commute.  Taking that short stroll down the hallway, I am able to get my workday started MUCH earlier than when I’m working in my office and I’m also able to work much longer.  I enjoy the fact that when my workday is done, and I turn off my computer, I simply step out of my home office and immerse myself in whatever’s going on in the house…..typically a lot.  I end up getting more quality time for my work, and more quality family time as well!  It’s win-win!

 And so…my experiment continues and I’m hoping for continued success.

Just keep your fingers crossed that I rectify this snacking situation and quick!  Or else I’m going to be claiming “it’s baby weight” until my kid is 18!!!!

Until next time…

The Working Mom

Note To Self…Wear More Blush To Birthday Parties

There’s a certain pattern to conversation topics that make their way around the birthday-party circuit. 

Right about this time of year, the popular subject is “What’s little Bobby going to be doing this Summer?”

The first time I was asked this question as it pertained to my 2 children, a sudden pang of panic overcame me and I felt the color in my face start to drain (note to self…wear more blush to birthday parties)…I suddenly bolted towards the birthday cake and started offering my assistance with slice distribution…anything to remove myself from the conversation.

Why the worry?

While Summer is supposed to be a carefree few months of warm weather, sunshine, day-trips and the Ice-Cream Man….for working parents everywhere it becomes something akin to a giant connect-the-dots puzzle where the object remains the same as it is the other 9 months of the year-  To have your children safely cared for between the working hours.  Throw in the challenge of trying to make sure their Summer is full of fun and frolic AND doing it in a cost-effective manner, and you mine as well call the Army Corps of Engineers for help cause this is going to be a project.

Seriously…this process is enough for me to lobby Washington for a year-round school schedule and in my free-time, I just might.

So let’s discuss some of the options:

• Traditional Summer Camps- Harkening back to the days of swinging vines over a lake, and arts and crafts in a wall-less “tent”, many Summer camps haven’t changed much since the days when you or I might have slapped on some sun block, hopped on the big yellow bus and headed for the Great Outdoors…and for good reason.  There’s an appeal that is as strong today as ever, to children spending their Summer days outside involved in a variety of activities (the key part of that word being “active”)- from swimming to sports to theatre to arts and crafts, traditional Summer camps offer it all

Perks:

Very often, transportation and lunch are included with the cost of the camp

Drawbacks:

Your children may leave after, and return home before, the traditional work-day would start or end, thus requiring a plan for supplemental beginning/end of day care or a modification to your work schedule.

• “Day Care Camps”-  Very often, the day cares where you send your children during the year, switch gears and morph into a “camp” from June-August.  While the hours that the camp is open are the same as the hours the day care is open, they swap out more organized or academic programs for a less stringent and  more relaxed group of activities.  Very often, they provide small pools for water-play and allow extra time for outdoor activities.

Perks:

If your children already attend the daycare at which the “camp” will be held, then they are already comfortable with the staff and surroundings and there will be no adjustment period.

Drawbacks:

There’s often an additional fee of some sort associated with the “camp”

• Overnight/Travel Camps- For those of us who are daring enough to send our kids out of town for the Summer, overnight  and travel camps offer a wide-range of programs and specialties making it easy to find a camp geared towards the interests of your particular child

Perks:

Your child will experience what is very often their first taste of independence (please note, this could also very well fall under the “drawbacks” section)

The camps operate 24/7 thus eliminating any scheduling conflicts with work

Drawbacks:

Overnight/travel camps are typically the most expensive options for the Summer and also might include additional costs associated with transportation to and from the camp (i.e. plane fare)

As you embark down the path of “What’s Bobby going to do this Summer”…I wish you good luck and lots of patience.  Very often, it takes a million phone calls to get the answers to seemingly basic questions.

However, once you’ve found the right option for your children, you’ll take pride in hopefully seeing them bound off to camp with an enthusiasm unparalleled by any day at school/ day care….heck, you’ll probably find yourself trying to scheme your own way onto the big yellow school bus for a day in the woods making popsicle-stick figurines.


Sincerely,


The Working Mom (aka Heidi)

From the Desk of the Working Mom - Hold The Morning Muffin…..

I turned on my television the other morning to hear the news that said (something to the effect of…)

                       

New research shows that children of Moms who work (regardless of marital status) show an increased rate of obesity

In listening to the report, I felt myself split into 2, separate but equal parts both of which were peering through the threshold into my family room, to where my kids were watching a video and evaluating their physical “shape”…that is until I slapped myself.

One part of me was sad while the other was irate (the irate side won the battle and prevails as my standpoint on this subject).

Anything that starts with “Women who choose to pursue a career….” is going to be a tough pill for me to swallow, and on this morning, true to form….That statement is where Ms. Irate started to gain her stronghold.

Don’t shoot the messenger….

 Listen here you woman with the perfectly coiffed hair and  airbrushed makeup speaking to me from in front of the fake NYC street-scape…for most of the women I know who work full-time outside of the house (and there are MANY!), there was not much of a “choice” involved…unless you consider feeding, housing & clothing their families a “choice.” 

In so many of the relationships that surround me, both adult partners in the household must maintain employment outside of the home, in order to keep the household going and keep the family together.   In the families I know headed by a single Parent, the need of that parent (regardless of their gender) to maintain employment outside of the home becomes even that much more critical.

That being said, I was also angered by the fact that the child-obesity statistic at the heart of the report centered upon “Mothers who work”…to say nothing of the Fathers who work.  Are you kidding me?  So now….not only am I responsible for the overall denigration of the fabric of the American family, but I’m also literally tipping the scales for my kids????  What’s next…I shot J.R.?

 A POUND of Panic is worth….

Buried until the VERY end of the segment was the fact that the increase in weight at the heart of this study, amounted to about 1 pound per child.  So really, what amounts to a child indulging in an extra scoop of mint chocolate chip, is what ALERTED the media to the pending doom we Working Moms are subjecting our children?

Every time I read or hear about a guilt-laiden “study” such as this one, I immediately think “Oh right, silly me, I should’ve known 15 years ago that having/raising healthy and happy children and working to provide for those children, was an “either/or” situation.  I missed that in the parenting manual that came strapped to my child’s arm on delivery day.

In any case…back to the morning muffin and here’s to no more morning television!

Sincerely,

The Working Mom