Dedicated to my friend Stef...

This blog is dedicated to my friend Stef who, after 20 years as a big time professional, is considering staying home with her boys!!!
Well, this morning I got to experience what most working moms go through on a continuous basis. Now, calling me a "working mom" is a stretch b/c I do only work part and my schedule is very flexible and mostly controlled by me. However, every once in a while, I have work things planned and a child of mine is sick. It's a horrible feeling...do I cancel? Will my clients be disappointed? When the hell else am going to to be able to reschedule? Is there anyone who can sit here w/ them while I go ahead and have this meeting?

Now, Dads simply go to work.

I understand why. They are the main contributors to many families' income. Well, for some families that is - I am quite sure that even when moms make the same bucks, they still have the job of morning detail and sick kid watch. But in our house - Daddy brings home the bacon.
So this morning, Lily wakes up crying b/c her ear hurts. This isn't new. It's been hurting. 2 DRS have looked and she does not have an ear infection. So at this point, I don't know what else to do. I take her temp - which was fine -and give her Motrin for the pain. I was up early b/c I had 5 showings scheduled for the morning in a different town. So I am focused and busy. Rob is still home while I jump in the shower. When I get out Lily is worse; she is back in bed. She said Daddy put her back to bed to rest and he also left for work.
On no! What if she is really really sick. Holy shit...my clients are on a time crunch, they have to buy something soon. I really can't show again until Thursday - damn-it, Thursday is when I was going to buy some really kick ass shirt to wear to a party this Friday. Damn.
But wait a minute - Rob Nicoll knew i had these showings but off he strolled. I say this to not disparage my husband b/c he is right to stroll off - we need him to keep his job and make the cash. But my point is that one thing mothers give up that father's don't entirely give up, is freedom.
Here is a summary of what has to happen for me to do anything - work related or otherwise. I must first find a sitter. Should be someone else who has a child so Peter can play and whose child isn't taking a nap at that time. Then I have to bring child to sitter. Then hope that the sitter's child isn't sick or that my own child doesn't become sick. I must drop him off, hurry up and get busy b/c I have to definitely be done doing whatever I am going by 3:30 to get the girls. Unless I find them their own sitter. But that sitter would also have to go to Fairview and be able to fit them in their car. But that might buy me some time. But shit, they have ballet at 4:00, so that isn't really much extra time. Unless that sitter also has a child who is in their ballet class.
I think I have made my point. But to make it further, I will illustrate for you how my morning continued to develop.
Lily started feeling better and I knew it was okay for her to go to school. Kick ass. So we are all packed up to head out the door. No wait, we aren't. We need gloves and a water bottle. Okay. We are really ready. So we drive over the tracks to go to St. Marks. Drop Peter and then off we go to cross the tracks back again to bring girls to Fairview. Then I run into my office to do 3 things...don't forget all 3 things. I am right on time!! Hooray. I then drive into Des Plaines. I don't really know Des Plaines like the back of my hand or anything so I drive around a bit to make SURE I know what I am doing once I am w/ my clients. Then I stop at Remax to pick up some keys. No parking. I illegally park and run. Then I meet my clients. Showings go well but I am aware that I need to hurry us along b/c Peter must be picked up at 11:15. So we wrap things up, I drop my clients back at their car, double park my car w/ the hazard light on to run keys back into Remax and head back to MP. And I made it. I really made it.
So, my hat goes off to all "working out of the house" moms. I only have the dilemmas in small doses and it's enough to make me want to drink by 10 am. So Stef - guess what will happen when you quit work? The next time either boy is sick, you can say "kick ass, no worries. We are just going to snuggle in - I don't have to cancel or reschedule a thing". It's the greatest gift of staying home.