I should have known better than to joke about all my technology working on my first day of work because I’ve not been able to access my hotmail account since yesterday which is why today’s guest post is so late. *sigh*
There’s still time to link up your own work related post by clicking the ‘All in a day’s work…’ badge before 5pm on Friday and there’s plenty for you to read already.
So, better late than never, here is Cerys from Mascara and Mud who is a working mum of two boys from Wales who thinks it helps to be happy at work.
Last week I responded to Cat’s tweet about writing a guest post for her blog about being a working mother. So that was last Friday. Over a week ago…And it’s only 8 days later on a Saturday evening once my bois are in bed that I’ve finally got round to sitting down and starting on it! That’s being a full-time working Mam for you!
So, when I was younger I can always remember wanting to be a hair-dresser first (but kept telling everyone I was going to be a hair-dryer!) and then a professional horse show-jumper or a police woman on a horse. So, I went to college and did an Admin and Secretarial Course…because that’s what you do when you want to be one of the above…!! Anyway.
I met Paul (my husband) when I was 16 and by the time I was 18 we were living together and I was in my first ‘proper’ job as a Receptionist / Admin Assistant.
A couple of years later I moved on to a Forestry Management company and within a few months of starting there I got pregnant. Robb was born 2 days after my 21st birthday – he was gorgeous! I can still remember how ruby red his lips were when he was born.
When Robb was only a few months old I returned to work full-time. This hurt. Big time. I was lucky that Paul’s Mum offered to have Robb while I worked. My parents also helped us out.
But after about a year of this I realised just how much I was missing out on and where I work were very understanding and let me go part-time.
When Robb was 3 years old Paul and I got married. Best day ever. By now I was in a new job working as an Administrator for an NVQ Training Company. I really loved working here and the people I worked with for the first couple of years. But then things started to go pear-shaped. They were bringing new people in, getting rid of some of the people I worked with. The stress was suddenly unbelievable! And the atmosphere in the office went from friendly to just horrible! By now I was crying on my way to work, crying on my lunch-break and on my way home. Work made me just miserable and also made me like this when I got home. Which wasn’t nice for any of us.
A few months later I was pregnant again. May 2007 I started my Maternity Leave and we both decided that I should take the year off work to be at home with our babies. I’m so glad I did this.
When I went back to work it wasn’t long before I decided that this wasn’t working out for me. When it became apparent that there was a position coming up at the Forest Management company where I used to work, I jumped at the opportunity and haven’t looked back since! It is by far the best move I have ever made! Put me in an office with 13 men over 13 women ANY DAY! No bitchiness! Just everyone getting on and getting the job done. We have a right laugh too!
I am back there full-time working as a Contracts Administrator. And I love it! Both of my bois are now in school full-time. If they need me I am only 5 minutes away and work would let me go straight away if I needed to. Paul works a 4 on 4 off shift so this means that a lot of the days (if he’s not working overtime) he is home with the bois or the days that we’re both working the bois are with their Nain and Taid (grandparents) who love having them. Everyone’s a winner!
Don’t get me wrong in an ideal world I would love to work part-time but in today’s world we simply can’t afford to. And there are days when I’m fretting all day because of something the bois have said etc. and can get myself in a right state with guilt about working full-time and will just be in tears all day.
It would break my heart when the bois would ask why couldn’t I pick them up everyday like some of their friends’ mum’s but then they’re ok with it once I’ve explained that Mam works so that we can go on our nice holidays and spoil them on their birthdays (and Christmas of course! But I’m not telling them about Santa just yet!). Home from Home is a phrase used a lot when I go to pick them up from their Nain and Taid’s house and they’re helping themselves to what’s in the fridge etc. and we’re all happy with that.
Every now and again I will surprise them and pick them up from school and the smile on their faces is priceless!
I don’t miss out on anything either and I always attend the Harvest Thanksgiving Service, the Christmas Concert (without fail!), The St David’s Day Afternoon Tea etc. and the times when they are ill I’m off with them even though it means using my holidays but all kids want their Mam when their ill don’t they?
I do find myself apologising to my bois at times but they’re great kids (if I may say so myself!) and they totally understand and if anything I think I’m setting them a good example.
I suppose the point I’m trying to make is if you’re happy at work then you and everyone else at home will be happy too. It’s just finding the right balance that works for you all.
I finish work Monday (19th December) and plan on having a lovely long Christmas break with my family.
Nadolig Llawen / Merry Christmas
This is so true. I’ve been in my job nearly 12 years. It’s in no way my dream job BUT I work with some fantastic people and we all look out for and support each other. It really does make all the difference to how I feel about going into work.