Balancing Motherhood
In 4 days, my son will be out of daycare and home with me during the summer until he starts kindergarten. Before now, I never really worried about juggling my own responsibilities and having a child around, but I’m starting to wonder how stay-at-home moms manage things like doctor appointments and dental appointments. Do you just hire a babysitter? Drag the child along with you? (My OB office doesn’t allow kids, and as my pregnancy progresses, I’ll have more and more doctor appointments.)
Then, too, I have no idea how I’m going to handle teacher work days. What do you guys do when your child is off from school for a day but you aren’t able to take off a day from work? I have a feeling this is going to be trickier than it seems…Any advice is welcome!
Maybe I should just try to sell more books faster and be a SAHM instead of a teacher. 
Michelle posted in Writing @ 7:12 am | Viewed 2338 times
beth Says:
1. Yay for being almost done with school!
(I do get it, just struck me as humorous this morning.)
2. My friend who finds herself in this situation in the summer (also a teacher) has an arrangement with her day care for “drop off” care for one day here or there as needed. Is that at all possible?
3. I find it amusing that your OB doesn’t allow kids…aren’t they kind of responsible for the whole kid thing in the first place?
4. I totally vote for the last option!
Holly Says:
I’m a SAHM and when it came to appointments when my stepson was younger, I always scheduled around when he’d be gone to his mother’s if at all possible. Now with him being older and our daughter being 4 we can ask my mother-in-law to watch them now that she’s moved down here from Wisconsin.
Before it was tough, although my OB’s office had toys in a corner for children to play with if you happened to be pregnant, but also already have other children. I have to agree with Beth, the doc is responsible for helping you bring a baby into the world after 9 healthy months under their care, it seems odd to think they wouldn’t allow children to accompany you to your appointments.
If you could find one nice teenage girl in your area, one maybe that you’ve known from school that you’d trust, who’d be willing to babysit from time to time,(maybe at your home) until you get back from your appointment, that would be nice. Or maybe a trusted relative or friend who wouldn’t mind. Or like Beth said, maybe you could see if your daycare allows for “drop off” on occasions when you need someone to watch him just for a short time.
Have a great day!:thumbsup:
Suzanne Says:
I would go when they were in preschool or drop them off with my mom, etc.
Jean Says:
For the summer, do you have a teenager who babysits when you and the dh go out. You might think about using her/him for your summer appointments, etc.
jeanne s. Says:
I either took them with me or had to make an appointment when my husband was available (evenings or saturdays).
Michelle Says:
Thanks for the suggestions, everyone. I’m thinking I’ll need to have a teenager on hand for some things, and I’ll just wing it on the rest!
Michelle Styles Says:
I just took them with me - -for the most part.
I think it strange that you ob does not allow children. Mine used to. The recognised that women might have more than one child. And might suddenly have her child care arrangements go awry. Occupational hazard.
There is also the Mother’s Mafia. A system by which you do playdates etc and share babysitting as and when. Some are really sophisticated with points systems etc, but mostly I just traded with good friends.
Kelly Says:
My SIL and sister use my mother to look after the kids, so she usually ends up getting them if they have to go to appts and don’t want to juggle two kids while they go.
Melissa Mc Says:
I can’t write with kids around so I either get up earlier or stay up later. Playdates at friends also help. I also have had a sitter come for a few hours and try to schedule all the things I need to do then.