Juggling It All and Surviving

By Kimberly Hicken

            “Tyler, hurry up! You’re going to miss the bus! Jacob, get on your shoes! Holly, where’s the diaper bag? Jacob…What do you mean you can’t find any socks? Well, just wear your shoes without socks! We need to leave! I’m going to be late for work. Again.”

            Does this sound familiar? If it does, you might be a working mom…or at least a busy mom with places to go, things to do, and people to see. Unless you are super-organized, you have probably experienced this sort of morning at least once in your life.

            This has been the story of my life for over 28 years. I began working full-time just a few months before my oldest son’s fifth birthday. His younger brother had just barely turned three. My husband and I moved to a new town where I started a new job. The town we moved to was a small community. Employment options were limited, and my husband ended up working out of town for much of our marriage. This meant that I always needed childcare. Falling back on my spouse wasn’t an option.

            But I survived. I made friends. My career thrived. I had more children…six more to be exact. In case you’re wondering if you did the math correctly, I worked full-time with eight children.

When I still had five children left at home, my husband and I divorced. Since he had worked out of town for most of our marriage, I assumed that being a single mom wouldn’t be much harder than what I was already doing. I couldn’t have been more wrong! Going through a divorce and then trying to work and raise the children alone was the hardest thing I have ever done. But I survived. We adjusted. The children were successful.

I tell you all of this background because I want you to know that working full-time and being a full-time mom is possible. It’s difficult, true, but also possible. Not only that, it can also be extremely fulfilling.

I’ll admit there were times when I wanted to quit my job and just stay home with my babies. Financially, that wasn’t an option. I’ll even admit that there were times when I wanted to run away from home and not be the adult anymore…also not an option. J Mostly, though, I felt like I was making a difference, both at home and at work. Looking back, I’m glad that I made the decisions I made.

I only have two children left at home now. You’d think that things would be easier, less busy, and in some ways they are. Since they’re both teenagers, I don’t have to pack a diaper bag anymore. J But we still end up with lost items, a mad rush for the bus, and then loads of afterschool activities. This life I have chosen may not be easy, but it is definitely worth it.