Angry Working Mom

Mom needs to take her own advice

On a recent car ride to gymnastics, my 6 year-old asks me about curse words. Her question was: a boy in her class says "curse words". She thought that the word "curse" was bad (not that it referred to another set of "bad" words). She was very confused, and as the conversation progressed I said "well darling, there are swear words which are those really bad words that you know not to say and then there are words that aren't swear words but we just don't say them". I thought there; that should explain it. Yea... She proceeds to say, "but Mom if they aren't bad words, why can't I say them"? Oh boy. I proceed to say "Honey, we want to be classy and lady-like and there are some words that you could say, but you wouldn't want to, because they would indicate that you don't carry yourself in the way that you would want." Interjection: Who am I talking to here - a 6 year old or an 80 year old grandma? Any who, the universe threw me a curve ball as a car almost hit us. I slammed on the brakes and yelled oh @#*&%!!! Luckily, I caught myself (somehow I have been able to curb my foul mouth in front of the kids) and said "Frujudgenet" or some other variation of my favorite swear word.

To summarize..Mommy needs to take her own advice or she will come off as one trashy, classless lady (or non-lady).

Work life balance. What asshole coined this?

Work life balance..What asshole coined this?

So now I have to worry about Work life balance. I didn’t have enough on my over filled plate (off of which I serve homemade cookies) to my daughter. Must feel like I kick ass on the Mom front..No chance in hell SAHMommy is going to one up this over achiever. So let me get this straight now I have to consider whether or not I am balancing the 2 very different psychotically busy ½’s of the woman who is me. It wasn’t enough to try to have it all, do it all and fall short. Now, I have to hear and believe there is this imaginary entity that is Work Life Balance, that this in some way exists..that if I were just a little more perfect that I could have this wonderful Shangri La of an existence where I am 100% Mom and 100% Career woman and I take time to do both perfectly. Something else to live up to? Really Mr. Asshole? I know that it was a man who came up with this Bull Shit Concept! So what your saying is that in addition to trying and I used the word trying because no one lives up to this to make it happen every day in the career world and trying to make as many things happen for my kids so they never feel like they have a second rate childhood compared to my friends who stay at home..in addition I've got to take time to "balance"? What does that even mean?

I have a wonderful Mentor who I respect, but have to pull out the Bull shit card on this one. He actually teaches a course at the company on Work life Balance. He’s the CEO and from an outsiders vantage this seems like a generous concept. Oh, the CEO is on-board with this concept. In reality or actuality as I like to phrase it I am in sales in that organization. We work until 7 most nights, up checking email at the crack of dawn and yes we are the people on our Blackberries during the dance recital (not my daughter’s portion of course the other 8 hours you are forced to endure). So to you too Jim, I love you, I respect you but Fuck off. Stop perpetuating this myth! BTW there are no men who feel guilty by not balancing! This falls squarely on the shoulders of working moms!

I will stop this tirade with a pass for all of you. We are never going to be able to “have it all” you can have it all, but from my experience not at the same time. Go with it, do the best that you can and for God’s sake stop beating yourself up!