Working Mama: Anna

Happy Monday! I’m enjoying a couple of days at home with Caroline and Jeromy thanks to Hurricane Sandy. Since I’m writing this Sunday night, I may or may not have power when this posts in the morning. Either way, we’re stocked up and prepared to hunker down for the storm. Hope you’re staying dry and safe if you’re on the East Coast! Let’s meet our working mama of the week…Anna!

Anna S

Name: Anna
Age: 32
Children: Lilly, age 2. Expecting baby # 2 in December
Occupation: Regional Physical Activity Coorindator
Full Time or Part Time: Full Time
Work Location: I commute to an office

Where to Find Anna

Blog: Piper’s Run
Facebook: Piper’s Run
Twitter: @Pipersrun
Pinterest: Piper’s Run

How do you find time for everything you need to do? What falls off your radar?
I look at what is a priority to get me and my family through the day. The dishes can wait, laundry can be put on at breakfast and it’s okay if your house is not 100% clean. I also try to fit in either a run or walk during my lunch hour as this gives me a little time to myself and I get active. Being active is important to me, as it makes me feel better and therefore I can be a better mom, wife etc.

Describe your childcare arrangement.
My daughter attends an in-home day care with 5 other children. We drop her off around 8am and pick her up just before 5pm. We are lucky that it’s only 2 minutes from our house and on our way to work.

What does the word balance mean to you?
The word balance means for me to have time to juggle it all and still come out on the other side standing up. I love my job, I love my daughter, I value my family time yet also I need a little time for myself.

What is your best time saving tip?
We cloth diaper our daughter, so preparing her diaper bag the night before saves me a lot of time in the morning. I also pick out what she will wear the night before and I try to do the same with my work outfits.

What is your favorite go to meal to feed your family during the week?
Having a vegan husband and a picky toddler makes meals challenging. Our favourite meal that everyone will eat is roasted veggies with ginger, a little chili sauce and herbs mixed with spaghetti and olive oil and sometimes a little tofu.

Would you like to take a nap?
Yes
No
I’m napping right now. It’s called multitasking.

What are your top two pros and cons of being a working mom?

Pro’s:
I love my job, therefore it doesn’t seem like work to me.
Time with my family is important and a priority over everything else.
Con’s –
I miss a lot of my daughter’s developments/new skills.
Exhaustion – and sometimes struggling to make it through the day.

Did you pump at work? If so, what was your experience?
I finished breast feeding my daughter at 10 months. I will be off work with baby #2 for a year – so we’ll see what happens then.

Do you have any advice for a new mom who is about to go back to work?
You may feel like you lead a double life; mom and employee. It will balance out over time. Just because you are not staying at home with your children doesn’t make you a bad mother.

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Thank you so much Anna for participating in my Working Mamas series! Don’t forget to check out Anna’s blog and show her some love!