Working from Home with Children

Today is one of those days that I wake up in a panic, with my head spinning in about ninety directions, not sure where to start.  Then it all becomes clear where to start as my son lets me know its time for a diaper change.  Where to go next is easy, time for his breakfast followed by cleanup followed by another diaper followed by a change of clothes.  Finally we get to a point where I need think about getting started on finding proper advertising for my new business ventures.  Oh but wait..stop everything; look he's screaming his head off.  The clock says that is because it's naptime.  So while the entire house is still sleeping, he is ready to go back to bed for his first nap of the day.  So I rock him for a bit and he fights it and about 20 minutes later..we have success.  I lay him down on his nap mat and tiptoe into the kitchen to pour what will be my first HOT cup of coffee of the day.  The other two don't count since they sat for twenty minutes before I got to sip.  As I open my computer and begin to plan out my strategy, the dog barks and growls and barks and won't stop..so guess who's up and grumpy not planning to go back to sleep?  And guess where the rest of the house is?  Yes, still asleep.

I take a seat with the fussy little man in my lap and I look around.  Baby crying, laundry in and out of a basket waiting to be folded and put away for the last three days, toys littering what is supposed to be a living room, dishes in the sink, pet fur throughout the house, a kitchen floor that hasn't been swept in what seems to be days and I think, "why is my home not spotless."  I clearly remember doing six loads of laundry just days ago, having done eight loads of dishes, having swept and vacumed every floor in the house, and put away all the toys at least a dozen times.  How could it be that things are in this state again.

I have images in my head of how things are supposed to be.  I am supposed to be spending quality time with my children, helping my daughter with her studying and my son learning to talk.  I am supposed to have the house clean, neat and organized.  I am supposed to have the laundry and dishes done all the time.  My fridge should be cleaned and neat.  I should have my calendars hung, my e-bay products organized, my business materials organized and my advertising up and running on all fronts.  I am supposed to be working on my book, my blog, my websites.  Reality of a work at home mom is much like that of an air traffic controller hoping that I can keep the planes from crashing into eachother or landing in the ocean.  And when the end of the day finally comes and I plan to spend some me time, I am so exhausted all I want to do is sink into my pillow and drift away. 

To every work at home mom I have ever met and those I have not, I commend you all for maintaining your sanity and retaining the love and adoration for your family that you all have.  You are truly an inspiration.