Q & A with Beth...

One of the recent questions we received in the emails to Adrienne actually pertained to me.  A fellow mom is in the midst of debating if she should return to her corporate job or start up something on her own.  She wanted to know...


                          "How do you balance family, writing, cooking, and all other activities 
                            in your life?  What does a typical day look like for you?"


I am so glad you asked Jamie!  My daily schedule differs a little from day-to-day but every day tests my abilities to multi-task!  In addition to being a mom and wife I obviously write Momsie.  I also have my other blog for design POST which is just one facet of the interior design business I started up this year!  As if all of that wasn't enough, I have continued to work part time for my dad.  I started doing office work for him after my oldest was born and because it is not an outrageous amount of work I have continued to do it. I also can do it all remotely from my computer so that makes it feasible.  Oh and did I mention that I would like to still be a good wife, look pretty, cook good meals, and spend time with friends?! 

7:30-9:00:

• The house is awake...breakfast for my sons...stick a granola bar in my purse for later
• Get my sons dressed, wiped down, and occupied so I can get dressed
• If I want to be productive I shower
• I quickly check voicemail for my dad's office, return any urgent calls if possible 
• If its a preschool day we are in the car (hopefully!) by 9:15.  For this to occur there must be a lot of screaming, running around, and crying by me not them.

9:30-12:45:  

• On the days when both sons are in school these are my golden hours!  I usually have a detailed "to-do" list.  Most of the time it involves errands for design POST.  This might include shopping for furniture, hunting for fabric or working on some DIY project.  If I am not doing those things you can usually find me at Target or Harris Teeter.  If I am am not at one of those places I am most certainly cleaning up around my house.  

• On the days when I have one or both of my boys we are usually on the go.  Playdates at a friend's house, Imaginon, or the park are favorites.  I try to keep them busy so they are ready for a nap!

1:00-4:00:  


Sweet precious nap time!  I don't know how I will survive when my kids stop napping.  I squeeze a lot into these 3 or so hours:

• Make dinner or at least prepare it so all I have to do is pop something in the oven later
• Do my work for my dad: lots of phone calls and scheduling
• Write, edit, and finalize posts for Momsie and design POST.  I do most of my writing in large chunks on the weekends.  You can usually find me at some point on a Saturday or Sunday sitting in a Barnes and Noble typing away.
• Catch up on reality tv while eating lunch!
• Some days just call for throwing all responsibility to the wind and crashing for a nap of my own!

4:30-bedtime:  


Probably like most of your houses, this time of day seems to drag on forever!  My kids usually eat before we do so I usually have to prepare two meals; kid food for them and a real meal for us.  I am working towards everyone eating one meal!!  Most of this time is spent preparing food, cleaning up after eating, and straightening up the house from that day's chaos.  When my husband gets home it is a tag team effort to get the kids bathed, in pjs, played with, read to, loved, and IN BED!  Then its usually back to the laptop for me, cruising the internet for blog inspiration or just zoning out on Facebook.  I watch ridiculous shows on tv and then try to get in bed before 11:00 pm, which is really hard for me because I am a night owl.  Even though I savor that quiet time in my house I try to remind myself that I will need that full 8 hours to get through the next day when I do it all again!

**Disclosure:  This schedule does not reflect what happens when one of the following inevitable situations occurs: a sickness, boo-boo, lost blanky, lost passy, accident by the dog, spilled milk (yes we all cry), ruined outfit, toy left in the driveway, a last minute emergency run to the grocery store, screaming fit in Target, doctor's appointment, burnt dinner, and many other typical situations of motherhood!

If you are considering going back to work, my only advice is to choose something that you love!  I, luckily never had to go back to my pre-kids job but I decided I did want to pursue my other passions.  The only reason that I am able to accomplish the work for Momsie as well as design POST is because I am passionate about both.  When I have "free time" I actually want to put my energy into those jobs.  I love writing and I love interior design so these things fit into my life.  If you are considering a "side job" of this sort just make sure it is something that brings you a lot of happiness and that doesn't create so much pressure that it affects how you handle the rest of your life.  Hope this helps and goodluck!