Modern Motherhood Musings

You’re reading Modern Motherhood Musings, a weekly newsletter written from one mom to another. Each week I share an honest reflection on motherhood, and a collection of things bringing me joy. I’m passionate about community, and I hope that by sharing, we all feel a little less alone.

🖊 This week’s musing…

Returning to work after my second child has been incredibly challenging, both mentally and emotionally. If I’m being honest, it’s what I struggle with most on a daily basis.

Juggling a career and motherhood makes you realize how limited our time is and causes you to re-evaluate how you’re spending it.

Most days, we spend 8 hours working, and less than half of that with our kids. If you work longer hours or have a long commute, you get even less time with them. That’s a tough pill to swallow.

I’ve been back at work for a year since having Henry, and over the past 365 days I’ve tried to make some small changes to help me feel like I’m not missing out on my kids lives.

Below is a list of ideas to help you find a little more work-life balance as a mom:*

*I have a fully remote job, so I know that not all of these things are feasible or for everyone.

• Volunteer at your kid’s school. I had this idea in my head that a working mom couldn’t be a room parent, but why not?

• Be intentional about using your paid time off. Don’t be afraid to use it on an average Wednesday.

• Be available when the kids get home from school, even if it’s just a quick hug and a “Hey, how was your day?”

• Create some “no work” hours. I try to make the hours of 5 - 7 p.m. sacred family time (as often as possible).

• Prioritize what brings you joy as a mom. For me, that’s cooking dinner. Feeding my family nourishes my soul and is my creative outlet after a day behind a screen.

I think we’ll always struggle with mom-guilt, no matter what our lives look like, but maybe we can make small changes to prioritize what matters most to us in this season of life. For me, it’s time with my family.

✨ Friday Favorites…

🐛 If your kids are in school or daycare, you know the pain of labeling ALL THE THINGS. A friend recommended inch bug labels and I love how easy they are to use, and how they’ve lasted through hundreds of wears and washes.

🍫 This caramel, sea-salt, + dark chocolate bar is INCREDIBLE. It’s the best blend of sweet and salty, and pairs perfectly with a glass of red wine! (I’ve found it at my local Target and H-E-B).

🍕 The kids devoured these Pizza Pinwheels at our Super Bowl party. Will loved them so much, I made a second batch for his lunchbox this week.

👯‍♀️ Creating Community

Each week, the Creating Community section will feature either a question or challenge. The goal is to inspire you to build community, because we all need each other.

If you enjoyed this newsletter, I’d love it if you’d share it with someone else!

Happy Friday! Thank you for being here!