Working Mama: Sarah Lindstrom

Happy Monday! We had a great weekend over here, I hope you did too!  Let’s say hello to our next Working Mama…Sarah!

Name: Sarah
Age: 29
Children: Nathaniel – 3 years old
Occupation: Account Manager
Full Time or Part Time: Full Time
Work Location: I commute to an office

Where to Find Sarah

Blog: queencitysarahnade
Twitter: @SarahJess7
Facebook: Sarah Lindstrom
Pinterest: Sarah Lindstrom
Instagram: SarahJess7

How do you find time for everything you need to do? What falls off your radar?
There certainly isn’t time to accomplish everything. Housework is definitely the first to go. If I have to choose between dusting or playing trains with my son, trains wins every time. Dishes pile up sometimes. But, I know that looking back I won’t wish my dishes were cleaned more.

Describe your childcare arrangement.
2-3 days a week he goes to a daycare provider who works out of her home. The other days he is with my mom. In the fall he will go to preschool 5 days a week.

What does the word balance mean to you?
For me, balance doesn’t mean giving equal parts to every aspect in my life. It means being content with the amount of time spend on each. I want to make sure my son knows he is my priority even though I’m not with him all day every day. But also, I need my time for myself. Prevent burnout and getting overtired.

What is your best time saving tip?
Clothes get picked out/ironed the night before. I can’t go chasing Nate around the house in the morning trying to get myself dressed as well as him. I also keep bags packed and ready to go for the activities we do the most. I have his daycare bag always packed that I rotate clothes out as needed. We have a pool bag always packed. So, I don’t have to run around and think about what I need 15 minutes before we have to be out the door.

What is your favorite go to meal to feed your family during the week?
Spaghetti. It’s easy to throw together and it’s one of the few meals I know Nate will gobble up.

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?Pros –
1. I contribute to the financial well-being of my family and can do special things for my son as a result.
2. The separation keeps him from being bored with me and keeps me burning out. We always look forward to seeing each other.
Cons -
1. I do miss out on things. My mom often calls me to tell me something cute he says or does. I get sad to miss those things.
2. It’s tiring. It can get stressful getting us up and going, out to daycare, pick him up, get home, cook dinner. By the end of the week I’m ready to drop dead.

Did you pump at work? If so, what was your experience?
I did. I worked part-time as a bank teller when I first went back to work. They allowed me to use a lock box viewing room when I pumped. It didn’t have an outlet, so I had to buy a hand pump. It was incredibly time consuming. When I went back full-time at my current job, I was able to use my electric pump and had access to a refrigerator, so that was much easier. Eventually, I started pumping more than I was actually nursing and started feel a little like a cow. It was shortly thereafter that I phased out the nursing.

Do you have any advice for a new mom who is about to go back to work?
Don’t let others judge you. You will make decisions for the good of your family and that’s all you need to worry about it. I still get a response from people that me working and my son being in day care is just so horrible. It’s not. Don’t ever let anyone make you feel bad for choosing/having to work.

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

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Previously featured Working Mamas

Katie
Heather
Kelley
Hallie
Tamara
Tara

Tagged as: working mama