Perspectives in Parenting

So we've talked about the big "question" in Part 1. But more than priorities and finances, what about our emotions? I feel like this aspect gets ignored in most discussions about working because we're too busy fighting about which is better and which is worse and where the "super mom" lies in the mix. But let's set aside the competition and be honest. Any decision is going to be a tough one. Any decision is going to have its challenges. Any decision is going to have opposition. So what is the decision that we want to make? This past week I had to work a 50hr week at a job I absolutely love for a company that I adore. It was way...

Most see me as a stay at home mom (and I identify more with that "label"), but I have actually worked on and off since my first was born. I'm involved in a lot of work with the community, I homeschool, I blog, I've held both full-time and part-time positions occasionally. I work, a LOT, even if at times it is more of a "volunteer" position. I don't know of any SAHM who feels they don't actually have a job. They do real work. But I also know the struggles that come along with being a working mom and the fear that comes along with becoming a SAHM. When I was pregnant with #1, I held a wonderful salaried position...

“How many kids do you have?” is always a tricky question for me. There really is no easy answer to this question when you simultaneously work with kids and have kids of your own. Personally, I have two kids and could potentially have 50 or more throughout the week as my Speech patients. Like many people who work with kids, these kids are not just my patients, appointments, or a number. They truly are part of me and I consider each one part of my family. I like to think of myself as an aunt they visit once or twice a week that also helps them to speak, eat, play, and comprehend. I get to hear about when my kids...

Life Insurance.  It’s one of those things that no one likes to worry about.  Of course, a death in the family is unthinkable. Being unprepared for one makes it much more difficult.  And, let’s face it. We all die. Protecting your family using life insurance can provide you with peace of mind so that you don’t have to worry about the "whens" and the "what ifs". So who am I to tell you about life insurance? Long before I became a mommy, I got my undergraduate degree in Finance & Insurance and spent several years working in the insurance industry.  My passion for life insurance grew the more I learned about the wonderful benefits it can provide, not only in...

Disclaimer: This is not a "poor me" post; I've CHOSEN a more positive life. At 12, it's typical to start rebelling against your mother. At 18, it's typical to ignore all the advice your mother gives you about college choices. At 25ish, it's typical to START believing that your mother might actually know what she is talking about. At 30ish, it's typical to admit you enjoy your mother's company and ask for advice, help and opinions about raising kids. Eventually, becoming best friends. But what do you when those typical moments are denied to you because your mother chose suicide over her family. (That was probably the hardest thing I've ever written down on paper.) I never got to go to a mother/daughter brunch. I...