My “weekend” is twice as long as most. My 30 hour work week is compressed into the other 3 days in the middle. I’m a full time mom most days, and a medical professional after that. I am a Part Time SAHM and I’m loving it. I straddle two worlds: that of the women raising the future of our world, and the women running it. Keeping one foot in the home and the other in the hospital somehow makes the highs more savory and the lows more tolerable.
When my 4 day stretch at home drags slowly into a seemingly endless afternoon of kiddie chaos, there is light at the end of the tunnel in my professional role. At work, my mind goes silent to the particulars on the homefront. Granted, mommy talk abounds in the day to day of an all female department, but small talk aside, I become Brandy Russell, speech language pathologist; therapist, colleague, clinician, specialist, expert.
And at long last, when my work week grinds to a halt, I long for my endless afternoons of kiddie chaos. I long to give my girls pancake breakfasts and memories made by daylight under our roof, or in our own front yard.
From the SAHM at playgroup lamenting that she “literally” does nothing for herself, to the co-worker in crisis, trying desperately to leave work in time to enjoy her daughter by daylight; neither dilemma is relatable for me. I’m fortunate enough to have my mother’s assistance on my work days. Regular child care enables me opportunities to have built-in chances for self care. And my 2 weekdays home doing chores transform weekends with hubby into opportunities for luxuries (gym, salon, dates) that every woman deserves. Similarly, when my 8 hour work day stretches to 10, I have the comfort of knowing Ganna and Papa will feed, bathe, and entertain my little boogers until 6pm pickup. And I take comfort in knowing that, while daylight was lost, in no more than 2 days time, I’ll have unlimited sunshine with my girls. I know every SAHM isn’t selfless to a fault and every full time working mother isn’t home late every night, but there is something very satisfying to being all in, without feeling spread thin. To work into the night, knowing tomorrow I might not have time to shower, and wholeheartedly loving both moments without regret.
Wearing so many hats; mom, wife, daughter, therapist, bff, “villager”, fulfills me in a way that wearing just 1 for most of the time never could. I rarely long for a break from full days with my kids, as these full days come so few and far between. I have yet to take a “mental health day” since transitioning to 3 day work weeks, as three days just don’t contribute to burn out. Driving from work to pick up my kids, I relish the built in “me time,” to call girlfriends, run quick errands, or listen to profanity riddled audiobooks ALONE! And by the end of my work week I truly long for quality time with my kiddos. I love to let them sleep in, and cook them “meals to order”. We pay to play at indoor playgrounds, take community center classes, and sometimes just wander aimlessly around Target together until lunch! I can get all my laundry done, mop floors, prep meals, cut nails, plait hair, all while well rested without the looming pressure of an early work day on the horizon. By the time the actual weekend arrives, and my husband is home, we can enjoy being all together without chores or obligations in the way.
My field (Healthcare) lends itself to this type of part-time momming. I’ve bonded with coworkers in similar situations. They too rejoice; “oh it’s such a breath of fresh air.” We all wonder why we hadn’t figured out the benefits sooner. We each professed our appreciation for the drive from work and all the wondrous options we have at our disposal in those precious 30 minutes before kid pick up. Oh, the thrill of doing chores sans exhaustion. Each of us enjoying both motherly and professional roles more having the benefit of BEING BOTH for equal amounts of time.
The Part Time SAHM life is not for everyone. I’m aware my profession affords me a flexibility that is not built into every job description. My part time PRN (as needed) status does not come with benefits beyond a 401K, so I am dependent on my spouse for an insurance plan. Technically my hours are not guaranteed, but considering every PRN position I have ever taken always had a wealth of need, it was a risk I was willing to take. Thankfully no benefits and no guaranteed hours = a much higher rate, nearly double my full time rates of yesteryear. At the end of the day, my decision to straddle both worlds has paid off tenfold. Amazingly I make more money in less time than I did working a salary 40hrs + per week. I get to see my kids. Not just for dinner and bedtime, but really see them most of the week. I don’t have to rush, or stress, or take shortcuts. I get to enjoy my husband, really savoring the time doing nothing or doing everything, because all of the housework is out of the way by the time he’s off. My kids get to know and love my parents, and vice versa. They enjoy a second home and bask in the love of their grandparents and aunt who lives nearby. I found a work-life balance that really works for me, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
It’s with this balance that I am able to best support and channel my energy into my love affair with language. Hours of technical writing everyday that I essentially write to myself or possibly other speech therapists, is not a reward but, rather, a technicality stretching out the end of my work days. In an effort to put voice to my thoughts about parenting, and bilingualism, and everything in between, I start a blog. Bilingual SuperNovas is my play on words (NoVA is a common nickname for the northern Virginia region and “Supernovas” is a word written the same in English and Spanish) and the blog by the same name is intended to celebrate my little language learners.
Bilingual SuperNoVAs 