Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Thanks for the Hug

I laughed out loud when I read my friend Linda's (at Lime in the Coconut) comment about the "group hug" I'd received though the comments to yesterday's post.  She's so right.  Thank you all so much for the kindness.  When I wrote the post yesterday, I was feeling as close to tears as I've felt in a really long time (I joked with my assistant Meghan that I was going to jump in her lap for a good cry.)  I honestly didn't write it looking for anything... In a way I use this blog as a journal, usually keeping off the drama/ boring / too personal stuff, but there are times when it comes out anyway.  (After I hit "publish" I thought I sounded like a whiny complainer.)  But I did end up getting something.  So many of you are in the same boat and somehow knowing that we're not alone-  faaaaar from it it- makes me feel better. 


Thanks for the hug.
{pic via pinterest via piccsy}

And there are so many different sides to it.  Many commenters are in completely different careers and it seems they still struggle with the same issues.  There are those moms who do decide to stay home and love it although can't help wondering "what if" just the way moms who go to work wonder "what if?  There are stay-at-home moms who feel like people think they are on easy street.  (Can I just say I can' disagree with this more??  Staying at home with children to me is the toughest job.  (I'm sure it's very rewarding but it is exhausting and those parents deserve a LOT of credit.)  Then there's the guilt that seems to be associated with all sides of motherhood.  One commenter raised a really interesting issue that in her workplace history, there has always been a "mommy" who she felt used her children as an excuse to get out of things and put more work on others.  Another mother commenting mentioned that she realized she had judged those decorators without children. thinking about what would happen to their careers once they did have kids.  I also realized I was judging the people who judged the "mommy" decorators.  (And just to clarify for any of those who asked, this isn't something imagined, I've actually heard of specific decorators using these terms in reference to others in a very negative way.)  My mom (who was a single parent for most of my childhood) said that childcare was always one of the toughest part about raising kids. 



When it comes down to it, I think we all have insecurities and questions ourselves sometimes.  I find that when I get really frazzled/ upset about something with my kids (such as the daycare situation yesterday morning) I start to question myself.  On normal days, things roll off my back & I'm even able to laugh or roll my eyes when I hear about haters, but when I'm emotionally charged like that, it all seems like it's tumbling down.

With Justin's case yesterday, I took him back to his existing daycare, which had turned over most of its teachers & its director over the summer.  We were less than thrilled to be taking him back to the center as we didn't love it last year & were planning on using it temporarily until we could find Mary Poppins, but when I got back to the daycare yesterday, it was worse than it had been the previous year.  The two ladies we looved -who had taken such good care of Justin- happened to be coming in later that day and those that were left seemed unconcerned that Justin was crying for so long.  I'd fully expected him to cry, I just expected he'd be picked up and comforted. 

Anyway, I have two kidinkies up right now so we're off for breakfast, but thanks for the shoulders yesterday.  I promise I'll get back to good stuff later this week.


{NOT a picture of our breakfast - i wish!!- image from the Awkward Bird}

On another note, we are installing a new project tomorrow.  (Thank goodness for my mom babysitting!!) My clients' house underwent a major renovation and all of the pretties are going in tomorrow!!


xoxo, Lauren

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