Welcome to part 4 of my A - Z blogging challenge.
Every day I am using the letter of the day to talk about elements of being a (part-time) working mom.
Train of thought
That pretty much sums it up, right?
I don't feel like I'm a fidgety person who's like "look, a squirrel!" all the time. I think I mask well. But on the inside? I have a lot on my mind to put it mildly. And I may have impulsive tendencies.
It was worse B. C. = before Colin, when I was working full time and had a so called important job. The market we managed consisted of two countries = cultures (yes, you'd be surprised how unlike Switzerland and Austria are, neighbors or not!) and three languages. Add to that an immense fluctuation in Baristas and a growth rate of about 30%. Can you blame me for being all over the place, not only physically but also mentally?
Networked thinking has its benefits, too. You can go from "I'd like to see the Gateway Arch one day" to "let's make a wooden rainbow for St. Patrick's Day" in two seconds!
You people with linear brains laugh as much as you like - us global folks can't just switch off our thoughts. They keep popping up! That's why I can't do mediation or autogenic training. Too many squirrels running around!
- How about you? Are you all
Now I have to run… appointment, groceries, stuff!
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Utterly admirable new me!
Let me tell you about the new me!
As I haven't quite gotten used to the new me myself, let's use "she" for the time being.
She gets up really early in the morning, all refreshed from a good night's sleep, cheerful, too. She goes for a run, takes a shower, makes a healthy breakfast for her family, packs snacks, gets everyone ready and out of the house without having to get pushy, goes to work where she arrives on time. Her hair, clothes and shoes are impeccable.
She has a lot on her plate but manages to set and stick to priorities and to get everything done. She tackles the unpopular jobs first thing, so they are off the table. She doesn't waste time on social media. Instead she always has a smile and an open ear for everyone.
On her way to pick up the kid she stops at the market for some fresh dinner groceries. After a yummy home made meal and some fun quality family time around the table, she cleans up the kitchen, gets the kids through their bedtime routine without yelling, folds laundry, preps for the next day, checks email, pays some bills, reads for a while and then goes to bed.
She gets up really early in the morning, all refreshed from a good night's sleep, cheerful, too. She goes for a run, takes a shower, makes a healthy breakfast for her family, packs snacks, gets everyone ready and out of the house without having to get pushy, goes to work where she arrives on time. Her hair, clothes and shoes are impeccable.
She has a lot on her plate but manages to set and stick to priorities and to get everything done. She tackles the unpopular jobs first thing, so they are off the table. She doesn't waste time on social media. Instead she always has a smile and an open ear for everyone.
On her way to pick up the kid she stops at the market for some fresh dinner groceries. After a yummy home made meal and some fun quality family time around the table, she cleans up the kitchen, gets the kids through their bedtime routine without yelling, folds laundry, preps for the next day, checks email, pays some bills, reads for a while and then goes to bed.
As always she sleeps like a baby and wakes up totally refreshed and ready for a new day - a charity meeting is due. Yes, she's back on board!
Sounds really good, right?
It’s a shame I have to tell you that...
Instead of an utterly admirable new me...
You’ve been reading about an urban myth.
- Can you guess which part(s) I made up?
- How would a day in the life of the utterly admirable new YOU go down?
Leave me a comment below, I love to read what you have to say!
I'm looking forward to welcoming you back! I will update this post tomorrow by adding the letter V.
PS: Here's another urban myth if you're up for more reading: Work- / Life Balance for working mothers
PPS: In case you think I cheated on this letter... here's a little something for you:
Umbrella counting
Aka something to do when the weather is bad but you still want to go outside. That's what we did a while ago. While on a tram ride, I would look out for the black, grey and white ones, and let Colin count all the pretty colored ones.
When we departed at the outskirts he was leading big time. As soon as we got close to downtown / financial district I caught up.
It was fun - try it some day!
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V is for Vomiting
(Overwhelmed Mom-ents, Part 3)
It was only my second week with the airline.
C and I just came through the worst part of traffic jam when he had to cough so badly that he choked on some air and threw up. As soon as I could I stopped the car and cleaned up as best as I could, but it was still a mess.
Of course, the clock was ticking, and I had an appointment.
We arrived at daycare, I carried him from the car to the entrance where one of the ladies opened the door for us. On the changing table, I removed the dirty clothes, stuffed them into a bag and put him into the spare clothes that every family keeps in their kid’s drawer.
He seemed fine, but I felt so bad to leave him there and literally run off to the office.
Oh, and of course I had some barf on my business suit. Even though I rinsed it off with water, it was still smelly. Not to mention my car, but I couldn’t take care of that, I needed to get to the office, and quickly!
That poor candidate I had to interview. I took my jacket off and left it outside, but I felt that my hair was smelly, too.
Venting
Whining for grown-ups.
When I need it most, I don't have time.
Like my situation above.
In a perfect world I could have gone to the office, grab a friend, sit down at the cafeteria and narrate what just happened. She'd listen, understand, support and build me back up, all while sipping on a doppio espresso and munching on a chocolate croissant.
Oh, well. I got my venting some five years later, here on the blog. I feel better now. Thanks!
Oh man, once I can look at the situation calmly and from a distance, I'm just having the most brilliant idea! Time permitting, I could have gone to the uniform counter and beg for a cabin crew blazer!
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| Photo credit: Swiss International Air Lines Ltd |
- Ever had a situation similar to this one?
Please share in comments below!
Weird
Ever since then I have experienced so many weird moments.
Like multiple personalities weird.
- I went to school Monday through Friday, would sit in a train and go see my boyfriend for the weekend.
- I left the house around 7am and be a corporate person for about 10 - 12 hours, then I’d come home, get rid of the heels and the suit, change into my PJs and be the cuddly wife.
In 2008 I became a Mom, and life has never been the same.
It’s all weird… and fantastic at the same time!
W is also for „what others think I do“
- Does having several hats on feel weird to you?
- What's YOUR "what others think I do" story?
Leave me a comment below, I love to read what you have to say!
I'm looking forward to welcoming you back! I will update this post tomorrow by adding the letter X, this shall be interesting, huh?
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Xerox
X is for Xerox and for the fact that I was and am lucky enough to get a part-time job where making copies is not within the top tasks of the job description.
When you google (in German) "how many part-time management jobs are there in Switzerland?" you'll get an article that proudly tells you that by the end of 2013, 14.7% (more than the previous year) of the Swiss men were working part-time. No specification what type of positions those are anyway. For all I know those could be student jobs.
The Swiss Federal Statistics Agency more or less confirms this number, but of course they don't know what kind of jobs those are either, regardless if for boys or girls.
So what kind of jobs do those part-time workers hold?
Here's a graph. It says almost 80% work in private households. Are those the housewifes? Is this statistic even about paid jobs?
Second: teachers,
Third: medical and social professions
Fourth: "representation of interests", I don't even know what that means. Posted it on FB, lets see what my friends come up with
Fifth: Entertainment, culture and sports
Sixth: Retail (finally!)
Source: www.und-online.ch
Later in that report you will learn that out of the part-time workers, 12% are self-employed (are those the ladies who run an etsy shop?)
18% of the managing positions are part-time jobs. That is the number I was looking for, and it is (if it's true) higher than I thought.
So how / why are those demanding part-time jobs created? I'll go into that tomorrow when Y is due.
Leave me a comment below, I'd love to hear what you think.
And join me again tomorrow for Y!
Here's a graph. It says almost 80% work in private households. Are those the housewifes? Is this statistic even about paid jobs?
Second: teachers,
Third: medical and social professions
Fourth: "representation of interests", I don't even know what that means. Posted it on FB, lets see what my friends come up with
Fifth: Entertainment, culture and sports
Sixth: Retail (finally!)
Source: www.und-online.ch
Later in that report you will learn that out of the part-time workers, 12% are self-employed (are those the ladies who run an etsy shop?)
18% of the managing positions are part-time jobs. That is the number I was looking for, and it is (if it's true) higher than I thought.
So how / why are those demanding part-time jobs created? I'll go into that tomorrow when Y is due.
- Do you think there are enough interesting part-time opportunities out there?
- Have you heard of any "family friendly" companies?
Leave me a comment below, I'd love to hear what you think.
And join me again tomorrow for Y!
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"Ziel" is the German word for "finish" after a race, a "target" to aim for and also for a "goal" to achieve.
All of them apply today.
I made it to Z!
For the first time on my blogging journey I posted every day.
How did I do? Up to you to judge.
As for me I have to admit that I underestimated the effort it was going to take - after all it was only supposed to be a sweet and short post every day. Guess what, sometimes, sweet and short is actually harder!
But, like the other 80% of us who signed up, I got out of bed and posted something more or less relevant every day and that makes me a winner :-)
My go-to beverage between 7am and 4pm - no later, strict rule!
I know, it's bad. Like, really bad. That aspartame has a reputation of doing ugly things to your body. The other components don't sound too trustworthy, either.
Yeah, well. I don't smoke, I don't drink. I mean no more than a glass of wine at a time.
Except D and I spend some quality time. But this happens (too) rarely.
So, yes, I think it's safe to say that I should go to CZA (Coke Zeroes Anonymous) meetings. If you know of a good group around here, let me know. I do hope they have a fridge, though.
Thanks for sticking around with me! As always, I'd appreciate it if you left me a comment.
The next scheduled post will be a "Secret Subject Swap" on May 8.
Yvonne
My lovely partner in crime, only fellow part-time working mom in my department and actual reason why there was a job for me.
How?
She used to work for our dept head with a different company back then. Her boss joined Swiss, and as soon as a full time person quit, she divided the position into two part-time jobs, so she could recruit Yvonne, who in the meantime had become a Mom.
The other vacancy turned out to be my job.
Yvonne made the whole part-time working Mom thing look easy. She always seemed to have gotten enough sleep, arrived early, was cheerful and friendly to everybody, of course dressed impeccably, and even made her own pizza dough!
Whereas me, I was the infant terrible who arrived late, smelled of vomit (scroll down to V), snuck out to get her sick kid from daycare…
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| Yvonne and me |
Back to how demanding part-time jobs are being created:
- Many of them used to be full time positions held by women who at some point became Moms and couldn't work full time anymore. They have earned their spurs and enjoy a high level of trust.
- Existing full-time jobs' volume went out of hand after too much job enlargement. Budget is tight, so an additional part-time job has a better chance of getting approved.
Yelling (less)
How much yelling is too much? Is every time you yell gonna ruin your innocent kid's childhood?
There was a time, about when Colin decided naps were not for him, when my nerves got utterly frayed, and I knew it was unfair to dump my sleep deprived, me-time craving frustration onto him.
That's when I came across The Orange Rhino aka Sheila, a Mom of four boys who challenged herself to stop yelling at her kids one day at a time, for 365 days. Right now she's going through a difficult time due to her youngest having serious health trouble. If you have a minute, leave her an uplifting comment: A moment of truth - her latest post.
I didn't follow her on a regular basis but tried to internalize my triggers that caused the yelling. Mine were quite similar to the ones on this chart:
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| Trigger Tracking Sheet |
Looking back I improved quite a bit. It may also have to do with the fact that Colin is no toddler anymore and has gotten as reasonable as you can expect of a first grader ;-)
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| Homework @ IKEA restaurant |
- Do you happen to feel like the black sheep from time to time?
- How patient are you as opposed to quick tempered?
Please leave me your comment down below and join me tomorrow for Z - the last letter of this challenge. Can you believe it's almost over? Phew…
Ziel
"Ziel" is the German word for "finish" after a race, a "target" to aim for and also for a "goal" to achieve.
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| Lauberhorn downhill |
All of them apply today.
I made it to Z!
For the first time on my blogging journey I posted every day.
How did I do? Up to you to judge.
As for me I have to admit that I underestimated the effort it was going to take - after all it was only supposed to be a sweet and short post every day. Guess what, sometimes, sweet and short is actually harder!
But, like the other 80% of us who signed up, I got out of bed and posted something more or less relevant every day and that makes me a winner :-)
Zero (Coke Zero)
My go-to beverage between 7am and 4pm - no later, strict rule!
I know, it's bad. Like, really bad. That aspartame has a reputation of doing ugly things to your body. The other components don't sound too trustworthy, either.
Yeah, well. I don't smoke, I don't drink. I mean no more than a glass of wine at a time.
Except D and I spend some quality time. But this happens (too) rarely.
So, yes, I think it's safe to say that I should go to CZA (Coke Zeroes Anonymous) meetings. If you know of a good group around here, let me know. I do hope they have a fridge, though.
- Did you enjoy this A - Z ride?
- What is your addiction?
Thanks for sticking around with me! As always, I'd appreciate it if you left me a comment.
The next scheduled post will be a "Secret Subject Swap" on May 8.
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There will only be four posts that are being updated as I go, with the most current letter on top so you don't have to scroll:
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