T is nearly nine months now and I hadn’t realised how quickly the time had gone until I got the ‘when are you coming back?’ letter from my boss. My heart sank a little because I can’t quite imagine leaving him at nursery yet but unless we all stop eating or win the lottery we can’t afford for me to stay at home. So a few emails later and it’s all agreed. I’ll be going back full time in mid-December. *Sniff*
If I’m honest, I’d be a terrible SAHM longterm anyway. It would be a disaster. I’m rubbish at looking after the house, except for baking I’m a mediocre cook at best, I know I’d miss the challenge of my job after a while and Hubs would be insufferable if he was the only earner. But still, it would be nice to have a choice.
Being a second time mum has been much more fun that the first time round because I feel like I know what I’m doing (mostly) and I’m much less worried about things but the big down side is that I know what’s coming. I found the first couple of weeks back at work after E was born unbelievably hard.
He was 14 months when I went back and was such a happy, sociable toddler that I hadn’t expected him to have any problems but every morning when I dropped him off he would just howl as soon as we walked through the door and cling on to me screaming until one of the girls managed to disattach him. It was just awful. They would always say ‘Don’t worry, he’s fine once you’ve gone’ but then they were hardly going to tell me he was deeply traumatised and I should stop being such a terrible mum and give up work, were they? I’d then spend the next half an hour sobbing in the car park making myself late.
I was distracted all day because I was worried about him. I looked a state because of all the crying and the sticky toddler fingerprints all over my suit. It was such a battle to get us both ready and out of the door on time in the mornings that I kept leaving things I needed at home. To top it all off he’d come home with a new cold each week and give it to me and Hubs. It was a really miserable time.
Of course after a month or so everything started to settle down. E loved nursery and would toddle off to find a toy without giving me a second glance in the mornings. I got back into the swing of things at work. We even managed to get a bit of a routine going so it wasn’t quite so hectic.
Now I’ve got to do it all over again. Eeek!
Adrian says
So you coming to the team pad thai chrimbo croak along for the traditional January Christmas meal?
Kareoke? I’m in! Good to see our social secretary is on the case already.
at least they will have each other if they are at the same nursery, I solved this problem by becoming a child minder, not everybodys’ cup of tea but meant I could earn money and not leave my little darlings (cough cough).
Good luck with it, and more to the point well done to you for thinking you will be organised enough to get out the door in the mornings…
That’s true, E will be upstairs in preschool but they’ll see each other in the playground.
Ah a new chapter for you – I wish you all the best with it. I dream of going to work and having conversations with actual adults – ones that don’t involve talk of pooh and tantrums !
I can;t give you any pearls of wisdom about leaving the house on time in the mornings as I can’t manage it myself at the moment and I only have to drop Bean off at Kindergarten at 9.15 !
Actually my work involves lots of tantrums just from adults and a substantial amount of pooh talk. I’m such a lucky girl!
I know how you feel.I did it myself about 2 months ago and each time it seems the same. My 2 yr old who isnumber 4 still chucks a fit when I leave her at nursery and I still feel like an almighty heel and heartless woman walking off but you have to do it and like you say eventually they thrive and they get to eat too!bonus 🙂 you’ll do great x
Horrible, isn’t it? But at least this time I know what to expect.
I feel you!! Ive just had my meeting yesterday and am going back in Jan, cue mothers guilt galore. But I do want to go back, even part time because I need a bit of brain stimulation! Good luck with the morning routine, I’m sure it’ll all be easy once you’re in a routine.
It’s weird because I don’t really want to go back but I don’t really want to not work. Us mums are never happy!
Oh honey. BOO. It won’t be as bad as you think am sure xxx
I’m sure it’ll be fine in the end. Just the start I’m dreading.
I’m a little bit jealous cos I really miss having a job (never thought I’d say that). But yeah, what the others said – you’ll be fine. And OFFICE GOSSIP! And when people bring in boxes of doughnuts! Working is great 🙂
Of course, there is definitely a biscuit upside to the whole thing!
Ahhh I wish you the best of luck, I’m a bit jealous too sometimes I feel that if I went back to work I wouldn’t be expected to EVERYTHING around the house, I have been scanning my wedding video for the part where agreed to be a slave but can’t seem to find it!!! Keep us posted on how you get on!!
Luckily I’m so rubbish at housework Hubs has given up expecting me to do much.
Oh I hope it all goes well. I understand how nerve wracking it all can be but like you I make a terrible SAHM and we just can’t afford it. It’s been a difficult for me as I went back too early and it was a new job and I could not find my feet. I had to stop after just 4 months but I’m giving it a go again starting just next week so fingers crossed!
I remember when I would drop my son off for grade 1, he screamed, cried, and I had to pry him off my leg. This went on for 3/4 of the year. It broke my heart, each & every day.
He has just completed his first year of university, and I think i can finally say he enjoys school somewhat.
That sounds really hard, but I’m sure it’ll all be ok in the end! 🙂
I was trying to calculate how old your second would be then by the time you went back…then saw the date of the post 🙂 it’s soooo hard to go back isn’t it? Z wasn’t bothered when I first went back, it was as he got older he realised where I was going and would become really clingy!