Juggling Kids, Blogging, and Life

Staying at home with two little girls under the age of 4 is a big job. Coupled with the fact that I work from home as a Mom blogger, sometimes I fall into bed at night wondering how I managed to get anything done. There is a constant pull between mothering, housekeeping, and blogging on a daily basis that can be maddening. I obviously love the chaos or I wouldn’t attempt to do it all. However, I can’t help but question… if perhaps… I’m not doing it all right.

Feelings of Failure as a Work at Home Mom

I struggle with feelings of failure and incompetence often. It’s nearly impossible to not compare myself to other Work at Home Mom Bloggers who seem organized. I recently read a blogger’s post about how she manages her time and laughed through the whole thing. Who can actually come up with blogging material between the hours of 9-11pm? Who has multiple children that nap at the same time so Mommy can get her work done? Perhaps she is just a rockstar organizer, but I’m not, no matter how hard I try.

What is a day like for a Work at Home Mom Blogger?

On average, I spend at least two hours on my laptop and two hours on my phone, working to grow Confessions of a Northern Belle and my Instagram. If you sprinkle in the occasional business meeting, photo shoot, doctors appointment, or the requisite biweekly trip to the grocery store, there are days when those hours are affected. However, I HAVE to dedicate the right amount of quality time to my blog since it has become a source of income for our family. Ever since I left the classroom to stay at home with the girls, I work hard to contribute whatever I can to our family – and it comes all from this little place on the web.

For the last few months, the girls and I have been staying at my parents’ home in CT after our house in Georgia sold quicker than we anticipated. I’ve felt in a constant state of limbo, living out of a suitcase and not having a permanent address. I truly appreciate the assistance I’ve had caring for the girls from my Mom and Dad (as well as my siblings and nephews), the food on the table at night, and the cozy roof over our head. However – we miss Brandon terribly and need a place of our own soon.

Once we are actually living in our own home, there are a list of things I need to do to get my life in order.

1. Create a work space that’s kid-free.

2. Use a planner for appointments, deadlines, and blog schedules.

3. Dedicate uninterrupted time to writing while the girls are at school/with a sitter.

As I sit here this morning with a headache from the coffee I just inhaled, reflecting on how I’m going to juggle the girls, writing a sponsored blog draft, and tend to our growing mountain of laundry all at the same time, I do pause to thank whoever is in charge of the fates for this wonderful life I’ve been given. Is it weird to be grateful for the chaos?