A Day in the Life of a Married Working Mom of One

Every day this month, I will be featuring an interview with a working mom just like you. It’s called A Day in the Life of a Working Mom.

We’ll learn about what she does for work, her family life, and….her tips/tricks for getting everything done.

Today’s featured Working Mom is Bree!

Tell us about your family (married, significant other, children’s ages, etc.).

I’ve been married to MenDale for 12 years. We have a son, Dylan, who is 9 years old.

Where do you live? 

I live in a suburb of Detroit, Mich.

What do you do for a living?

I’m a public relations and marketing manager at a hospital.

How do you fit blogging into the mix (if it’s not your “day job”)?

I try to get most of my writing in on Saturday mornings. I’ll usually go to the library for 4 hours to get it done in a quiet atmosphere. Sometimes, I can’t make on Saturdays, so I’ll do my writing in the evenings once my son is in bed or I wake up early to get it done before he wakes up. I promote via social media throughout the week.

What is your typical day like?

With a son who has ADD, there really is no “typical” day. However here’s what I aim for:

I wake up between 5:30 – 6 a.m. and get both myself and son dressed and fed (my husband is normally gone by the time we wake up). I make sure his backpack is all together he has his lunch, and then we leave out of the house between 7:30 – 8 a.m. I drop him off at school then I’m off to work.

I’m normally off work and home between 6 – 6:30 p.m.  Once I’m home, I cook dinner. After we’ve eaten, I clean the kitchen while my husband makes sure Dylan gets ready for bed (he’s already done his homework with dad before I got home). After he’s ready for bed, we have family time until his 8:30 p.m. bedtime. Once he’s in bed and FINALLY asleep, my husband hang out and talk, or watch some TV while working on our various projects (me blogging and him photography/graphic design). Bedtime for us comes at 10/11 p.m. after I’ve ironed clothes, made lunches and prepped for the next day.

What’s the best thing about being a working mom? What’s the hardest thing?

Best thing is getting to help provide for our family. Hardest thing is balancing everything.

Do you experience guilt associated with being a working mom?

Definitely. A lot of the moms at my son’s school don’t work. So while I’m at work, they’re at the school volunteering as class moms. He sometimes asks me why I can’t do the same. It’s gut wrenching. However, I know me working is what’s best for our family.

How do you handle day to day responsibilities (meals, laundry, cleaning, chauffeuring kids, Dr. appointments, school meetings, etc.)?

I’m very lucky to have a husband is a true partner. We divide up some chores (e.g. I clean the kitchen, he does the laundry). For others like cooking and cleaning the rest of the house, we both cook and tackle the rest of the house depending on who has more time. For school meetings and doctor appointments, we try to schedule them after work so we can both go.

What are your top 3 – 5 tips for keeping everything together?

1. Prep everything the night before (lunches, bags, clothes).
2. Schedules and lists.
3. Make time for yourself.
4. Ask for help.
5. Breathe mama; it’s going to be OK.

Guilty pleasures?

YouTube.

Is there anything else you’d like to add that you think would encourage other working moms?

Motherhood is hard. Motherhood while working is even harder. Know that you are not alone. No one is perfect, no matter how they portray it on the Internet so don’t compare yourself to anyone else. Just do your best and love your kids. The rest will fall into place.

Where to find Bree online:

The Mom With Moxie

Facebook

Instagram

Twitter

What was helpful that you can apply to your work mom life?

Let me know in the comments below. If you have an extra moment, head over to give that working mom some love!

Subscribe to receive emails to be notified as the posts in the series are published. Read other posts in A Day in the Life of a Working Mom series.

If YOU would like to be featured, send an email to raki at outsidetheboxmom dot com. If all of the October spots have been filled, I will feature your interview in a continued series.