A Day in the Life of a Working Mom: Chaos, Love, and Everything In-Between
5:45 AM – The Early Bird Struggle
The alarm rings, and I drag myself out of bed for my morning workout. Some days, it’s a success, and I manage to sneak in some time before my girls wake up. Other days, my 3-year-old beats me to it, and suddenly it's crunch time. There's no time for self-care—just a mad dash to get ready, grab some coffee, and rush out the door to make it to work on time. Five days a week, I juggle a full-time office job with my freelance hustle. Honestly, some days I don’t even know how I do it.
8:00 AM – Morning Chaos
The grandparents (my in-laws) arrive to help with the girls. The guilt hits me hard as I see my girls asking for books and asking to watch Moana 2 again (for the 500th time). I can’t help but feel a twinge of sadness watching them bond with my in-laws while I’m racing against the clock to get out the door. “Mommy will be back soon, I promise we will play and read later,” I say, but as soon as those words leave my mouth, it’s time to rush off. And sometimes, I let the tears flow on the way to work. The guilt of leaving never quite goes away, but I remind myself that I’m doing this for them. Without my income, we wouldn’t be able to live the life we’re providing for our girls. That thought gives me peace of mind, even when it’s hard.
12:00 PM – Midday Madness and Lunch Breaks
I’m lucky enough to be able to come home for lunch every day. My office is only 10 minutes away, and I get a full hour to squeeze in some quality time with my girls. But even this is rushed. My 3-year-old demands my hugs, and it's also her nap time. I hear the familiar cries: “Mommy, sit with me! Stay with me, please!” My heart breaks as I hear her, but I do my best to balance. I agree to sit with her, even if it means scarfing down my lunch in five minutes, knowing that once I leave again, my heart will ache until I’m back with them.
5:30 PM – The Evening Routine
Finally, after a long day, I’m home. The minute I step through the door, I’m greeted with the loud, cheerful sound of, “Mommy’s home!” It makes my heart swell. I drop my things, kneel down, and get the biggest bear hugs from both my girls. It’s the best part of my day. My husband, who works remotely, has dinner ready by the time I get home, thank goodness. He’s such a lifesaver. As we eat, we usually argue with our toddler about whether she’ll eat her dinner or not (spoiler: she won’t). Thankfully, our 18-month-old eats whatever we give her, so I don’t have to fight that battle too.
The Weekend Hustle
Weekends are my time to catch up on my freelance work, but even that requires juggling. I carve out a few hours in between the chaos by putting on a movie for the girls. Then, once they’re entertained, I get some much-needed quiet time to focus. After that, it’s playtime, and that’s when I feel like the luckiest mom in the world.
The truth is, there are days when I feel like I’m barely keeping it together, but in between the mess, the chaos, and the endless to-do list, there are beautiful moments that fill my heart. Despite the challenges, I choose to embrace the chaos because I know these are the moments I’ll look back on with love. No matter how messy or tiring the days get, I am truly grateful for the life I get to live with my family.
