working mother survival

disclaimer:  these are things that help me survive... I'm not playing the Holy One here or anything like that....

Ten Helpful Survival Hints for a Working Mother (of young, not school-aged children):

1.  Accept that your caregiver will not do everything just like you do it.
2.  Accept that your children will likely behave better for the caregiver than they do for you.  Then, think forward a few years to when they are in school, and be grateful that they behave better for their teachers than they do for you.  Think minimal parent-teacher conferences here. 
3.  Understand that you will never feel 100% caught up in any area of your life (and if you are 100% caught up in all areas of life, see my supermom post, and unfriend me on facebook immediately :)
4.  Pack all lunches the night before, or better yet, get your spouse to pack all lunches the night before.
5.  Do not feel guilty for eating lunch at your desk... after all, you leave one job, and you're "on" automatically at the next one (family), which is the most important.  If you need to work through lunch to feel more grounded when you get home, go ahead.  I cannot tell you the number of lunches I have spent in front of my doctoral work.  It helps me feel more present at home, instead of anxious over all I have to do when my cherubs are in bed.
6.  Allow the caregiver to take over some of your parenting roles.  My kids get phonics and sight words at daycare.  I certainly do not go home and repeat the process.  I happily allow the daycare to fill that role, so that I can then fill the mothering role and hopefully "plate up" less frozen pizza (again, see supermom post) as well as spend more time just playing with my children before they go to bed.
7.  Realize that what works for you may not work for others. Like in #5, eating at my desk to work makes me feel better.  For some people, they would go nuts without adult conversation over lunch.  Know what you need, and do that.  Everyone is different.
8.  Look good.  Really, it helps if you are somewhat satisfied with how you look when you go to work.  Even if you jump straight into pajamas after work!!! 
9.  Limit screen time and sleep.  Screen time can eat up hours of what could be sleep time.  This perpetuates the exhausted to coffee cycle for so many. 
10.  Exercise... I know that to some people, working is already too much time away.  It is for me too, honestly.  But I have learned that going to the gym increases my patience in the evening, and helps me fall right to sleep after I put my kids to bed (sometimes WHILE I am putting them to bed.  Exercise is good for me, and my kids have no idea I pick them up 45 mins later three times per week.  Take care of yourself. 

Just my thoughts...  :)