11 Reasons Being A Working Mom Is Awesome

There are so many working moms out there that are battling mom guilt. Moms start dreading the end of their maternity leave from the day their baby is born. It doesn’t have to be this way! Being a working mom is so hard, there’s no denying that, but it is also wonderful. Next time you are struggling mentally with being a working mom, remember these reasons why you are actually really lucky.

1. You get better at negotiations.

Toddlers are the toughest negotiators (or dictators) out there. Once you have mastered convincing your toddler that a bathing suit is not appropriate clothing to go outside in a snow storm, your boss that thinks you should stay late to meet a ridiculous deadline is no problem.

2. Your child gets to experience someone else taking care of them.

I don’t care if your child goes to daycare, you have a nanny, or your husband stays home, it is good for your child. Daycare provides extensive socialization opportunities that are missing in households with only one or two young children. A nanny is an extra support system in raising your child, and a stay-at-home hubby provides great bonding time. You are infinitely valuable to your child’s learning and growing. However, you don’t have to be present all the time for your child to thrive. Work forces you to walk out the door and give up some control.

3. You keep a part of yourself unique from being a mother.

When it comes to hobbies, they tend to change drastically once you become a mother, and it’s easy to forget who you were before you were mama. When you are working, you are a professional in your career. You are not defined as “so and so’s mom.” Embrace this identity.

4. You get adult interaction.

If you stay at home with kids you become an expert at childhood games and conversations, but adult conversations can be seriously lacking. At the very least you have to make plans to incorporate adult interaction into your day. However, by going to work you are putting yourself in the situation to talk to other adults. Yes, you may be going to work simply for the paycheck, but you get to embrace the adult conversations while you are there.

5. If your babe wakes up on the wrong side of the bed, it’s only your problem for a short time.

Going to work is a wonderful blessing when you have a cranky toddler. “Oh, you’re going to scream and throw your breakfast on the floor and have a tantrum because of the outfit you’re wearing? No problem, I’m sure dad, the nanny, or the daycare will have a great time with you today!” I’m not ashamed to admit that I’ve had days where I’ve joyfully walked out the door with a “I’m going to be late for work” and left a cranky toddler with my husband.

6. You become an expert at organization.

Keeping track of work meetings OR playdates is plenty of mental effort for most moms. Not you! As a working mom you had no choice but to become an organization expert. Choreographing a busy family’s week plus a full-time job is just another day for you. This skill will be beneficial for the rest of time. You also know the scoop on the best planners available.

7. You keep everything in perspective.

As a working mom you very quickly realize you can’t have a perfectly spotless house, make Pinterest-worthy birthday treats for school, put in the most hours at work, and have a social life. Eventually sleep does have to happen. When this reality hits, you learn to prioritize, delegate and let things go. Do you need to have perfect hand-piped cupcakes for your toddler’s preschool birthday celebration? Nope – the kids will stuff themselves with the store-bought version just as fast as they would your carefully crafted ones. Many of us working moms have type A personalities, so learning to let go and delegate are wonderful lessons for us – even if we have to be forced into submission through sleep deprivation.

8. You learn efficiency.

You only have so many hours in a day and a million things to do. You learn to make the most of your time at work. Instead of browsing social media in between meetings, you put the finishing touches on next week’s presentation. You always stay ahead of deadlines because you know staying late to meet them at the last minute isn’t an option anymore. There is a reason they say, “If you want something done, give it to the busiest person.”

9. You cherish the time you do have with your kids.

When you have all day every day to spend with the darling babes you tend to forget how lucky you are to have that time. It’s easy to find yourself begging for the baby to nap so you can get a break or putting your toddler in front of the TV, so you can clean up the house. When you are a working mom, you fully embrace the limited time you have. Being fully present during the time you have with your baby makes up for the time you aren’t with them.

10. You are responsible for (at least some) household income.

This is a big one because it means you can more easily justify that super cute baby outfit you’ve been eyeing or the new education toy you are convinced your 3-year-old needs if they are ever going to get into Harvard.

11. You are an amazing role model to your child.

Being a working mom is hard, but by putting in the effort to excel at this role regardless of if it’s one you have because you want to or because you need to, is an amazing example to set for your child. Your daughter will see that moms can do whatever they set their minds to, and your son will see that women are extremely capable and can have amazing careers.

There you have it. Next time you are feeling bad that you are a working mom, remember all of these perks that you are lucky to have.