Please HELP!!!! WAHM Trying to Find Balance

OK, so I have been a WAHM ever since I was a mom, almost 4 years. I keep the books (AP, AR, & PR)for my parents' construction company. Sounds dreamy, right? Well, every time I sit down to work (when all their needs are met), I try to get in some work. Literally as soon as they realize I am working, both my kids go absolutley crazy!!! I am talking hitting each other, throwing anything they can get their hands on, and screaming at the top of their lungs. There are times during the day that my parents will call up needing a letter typed or something faxed and I have to drop what I am doing and work, even if I am in the middle of playing with my children. I know some of you are thinking I should just be focused on my kids when it is their time, but this is my job, and I cannot afford to quit. My kids get PLENTY of fun time with mom and dad, as well as time individually. They literally have it made, so why are they doing this? I didn't get half the attention my children get as a child.
For the past 4 years I have been trying to work when they go to bed, so there goes time with hubby. If I don't work and spend time with my hubby, then I am behind on my work. (We aren't even going to talk about my house becasue it gets neglected no matter what.) Most nights I get about 5 hours of sleep. My 20 month old just started sleeping through the night which has taken some pressure off, but I am so burned out!! I freaked out on my poor husband today, yelling and acting like a complete child. I apologized and he forgave, but I am still so tense. My kids are in Mother's Day Out 10 hours a week which helps, but the more I spend on childcare the less sense it makes to keep working. I used to trade babysitting 20 hours per week when we lived near Austin, but I haven't been able to find that here. (I work about 20 hours a week.)

Any other suggestions?

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A.T. answers from Dallas on March 09, 2007

Hi E.,

I SO know how you feel. When I started working from home everything was great. Then it's like it dawned on my daughter that this was a way to push my buttons and get what she wanted. She knew that if I was working then I couldn't focus my full attention on her at times. I felt like I was spinning in circles, yet going nowhere. I was trying to work and do it all at one time, all day long.
I finally set a schedule. I started first by watching our days for a little bit to see when she was the rowdiest and when she was a little more relaxed. I try to spend a little time working in the mornings before she gets up, then we spend the morning - breakfast etc. together. We have our time when we play and color. When it's nice outside we spend as much time out there as possible. I can work while she plays in the yard. Luckily my position allows me to work mainly by appointment so I can also schedule during naps and our slower times. But the main thing is to have a schedule and work when it's work time and stop when it's not. We have to work smarter, not harder. Even though we are working at home, we still need to acknowledge some kind of closed sign or we will work ourselves ragged and still not be where we want to be.
The schedule will be hard for all at first, but we all like structure and predictability. Once everyone gets used to the schedule it will just be "a way of life." Hopefully you will get to relax a little too.

Have a great one!
A.

1 mom found this helpful