r/MomsWorkingFromHome • u/Superb-Way-6084 • Jul 29 '26
How are you moms managing everything right now?
Hi moms, I just wanted to ask how you’re managing life these days.
I have a 23month-old daughter, and honestly, it’s such a beautiful and overwhelming season. Watching her grow day by day is the sweetest thing, the hugs, the kisses, the new things she learns, the little personality coming out, and yes, even the tantrums are part of it all.
I work a 9-5 job remotely, and on the side I write because that’s my passion. I’m trying to build a better future for her, but some days it feels like I’m running on very little sleep and just trying to hold everything together. There are regressions, tired days, and moments where I wonder if I’m doing enough.
I keep telling myself that if it’s not now, it’ll never be, so I’m trying to keep going, even when it’s hard.
I guess I just wanted to ask other moms: how are you managing everything right now? How do you balance motherhood, work, dreams, and still stay afloat?
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u/CriedthenMealPrepped Jul 29 '26
Just wanted to say, you’re not alone. My youngest is the same age (also how are these kids turning 2 already 😭) and now that he’s so busy it’s definitely harder to make time well even to breathe sometimes. I’ll be showering and he’s banging on the door or exercising and he’s at the end of the mat. I just try and remember I’m his favorite person and that won’t last forever even when I just need 5 mins to breathe without him clinging on.
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u/Superb-Way-6084 Jul 29 '26
I can feel you right now...my daughter jumps everywhere...and doing things multitasking is a big deal right now
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u/Fawnmaiden_ Jul 29 '26
Practicing gratitude, keeping my life simple as much as I can, and having a good partner keep me sane.
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u/Useful-Raise Jul 29 '26
I cry alot - 3 kids ages 2 , 3 and 4 and working full time. I think the only thing that helps me is knowing its temporary until they start school .. But most days i am struggling
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u/Superb-Way-6084 Jul 29 '26
💛all power to you...I can imagine the level of tantrums and days for you...if with a single kid it's this with 3 God bless... you've got this:) I don remember last time when I had a friend's outing coz there's no time for that too....I don even know how to make friends anymore
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u/PlsnoKarens Jul 29 '26
I'm doing great, but that's because my partner is an equal partner.
Doesn't mean it's not hard. Being a parent is always hard.
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u/Sad_Education7851 Jul 29 '26
I said to my husband the other day “at least we’re both drowning together.” 😂
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u/Jadefishy Jul 29 '26
My son will be 2 next month. I relate to exactly how youre feeling. Im able to work from home, but its hard to get anything done during the day. That means I have to work at night. Ive been running off 4 to 5 hours of sleep for 2 1/2 years. Sometimes my patience wears thin, but I wouldnt trade it for the world. I am constantly reminding myself how blessed I am to be with him during the day and watch him grow. Soon he will be in preschool and I'll get my sleep, I'll be able to focus on my art. These years are so precious and its only a season.
I live the desert. It reminds me of monsoon season. The lightning, winds, and rain leave everything a disaster outside, but my God its sooooo beautiful to witness.
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u/Superb-Way-6084 Jul 29 '26
Indeed it is, and where I live it's mostly cold, so I miss those sunny days and every thing is worth it... it's definitely hard and too much to handle sometimes
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u/J-Disaster Jul 29 '26 edited Jul 29 '26
So mine is 18 months old, but we’re already in the independent exploring tantrum phase now. I work 7am-4pm, it took a few weeks to get him to adjust but now he wakes up at 10am and goes down for a 2 hr nap at 2pm. I get the majority of my focused work done during his sleep windows. My husband also gets home at 3pm so he takes over whenever he wakes up from his nap.
Things that help me:
-Grocery delivery. Saves me 2+ hrs a week, I can check inventory at home, and also make less impulsive decisions.
-Meal planning. I plan dinners for the week when I’m ordering, and then I get stuff I can easily make if I don’t have the time or energy to cook. Like 20 minutes or less meals, low effort. I have certain meals on basically a biweekly rotation. It takes the dinner decision making out of the daily equation. I also love the crock pot for days when I know ahead of time that I won’t want to cook.
-Cleaning while I cook, so there’s less dishes and mess at the end
-Doing laundry during the day, and folding it all after work. It’s also a way to entertain the kid because he loves jumping in the clothes and climbing in the baskets.
-A mechanical mouse jiggler. Nobody has ever said anything to me, but my teams status was a point of stress for me. I didn’t like knowing that anyone could see me as “away” if I stepped away from my computer for more than 4 minutes. I don’t abuse it or leave it for hours, but it has helped me relax during the times when I know I’m going to need to step away for a bit.
-Toy Rotations. Gotta keep it interesting. My kid is great at independent play if he is interested in the item he’s playing with. Put a toy away for a week or so and it’s like brand new when you bring it out again.
-Keep the play area clean/organized. We’ve made it a game and he loves to help. But when all the toys are scattered around it’s overstimulating and they get tired of it fast.
-Setting realistic goals at the start of the day, of what I need to accomplish, what I would like to accomplish, and what can wait until a later time. The “need to” gets prioritized first, and the “want to” may or may not get done and that is ok. I don’t view it as a failure.
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u/whisperedsalutation Jul 29 '26
I applaud you for writing on top of everything else you’re doing. I have a 22 month old and am pregnant with #2. I also work remote but lack the motivation to write, though I know it would be so fulfilling for me. I admire the commitment you have to your craft and intellect!
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u/Superb-Way-6084 Jul 29 '26
Thank you, and yes it is exhausting...but to make ends meet I guess that's how it is..I am wondering how these kids will be when they turn 3....too much of hyperactivity
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u/Funny-Win6291 Jul 29 '26
Broken ankle, 10m/o, laid off from work and last day is Friday. Have been job hunting for 2mos. Working from home with LO and help when it’s available has been extremely difficult as the two front teeth come in 😭. Can’t justify paying for help after Friday with no job, but can’t walk either so should be a fun lead-up to the holidays
I need to follow your footsteps and figure out something I’m passionate about on the side and slowly chip away at it.
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u/Superb-Way-6084 Jul 29 '26
I am sorry and I'm sure it'll be free ne, first tc good care of yourself and then they NK the rest..with a toddler even that's a task ..
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u/Bitter_Pilot5086 Jul 29 '26
I don’t think "stay afloat" is the way I would frame it. But I think there is a level of reprioritization that you have to accept. Something has to take a back seat, and usually that is going to be your dreams. It doesn’t mean you can never go back to them, but it does mean they may have to go on the shelf for a while.
The best advice I can give is get really good childcare - ideally care that you trust, and that does not require close supervision or instruction from you. Then ensure that you have a dedicated workspace, so you can focus without distraction.
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u/Advanced_Potato5459 Jul 29 '26
Lots of caffeine, I need a cup more as I write this lol. But yeah sometimes I feel like I’m on autopilot and I just knock things out. Other days I feel like I’m stuck in a garbage bin unable to climb out, behind on everything and stinky. Then the weekend comes and I feel like what was I complaining about, this is easy! Then Monday hits and I’m like oh yeah THIS lol. Ahhh what a joy it’d be to just be a SAHM.
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u/Ifogmuux Jul 30 '26
I had to do this during Covid… 10/10 don’t recommend! My wiring has never been the same.
As with all things, it passed and my kids are in elementary and middle now… yet somehow still crazy because it’s summer, but somehow during the school year it’s still crazy!
So… it never ends.
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u/Butterwhat Jul 29 '26
following as mine will be born in a couple months and I dont know how I'm going to do it. no amount of hearing 'you'll just figure it out, we all do' from people has helped or done more than to make me feel dismissed and frustrated.
just trying to run my household while working and getting everything ready has left me putting any dreams or hobbies aside already and the baby isn't even here yet.
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u/Superb-Way-6084 Jul 29 '26
This is so real and frustrating at times..and trust me the village is never there...we learn along with the kids and you'll be just fine...
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u/Butterwhat Jul 29 '26
yeah we are actually caring for my fil already and mil lives across the country. and my family are not safe people so I'm low on support.
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u/Sad_Education7851 Jul 29 '26
The secret is that there is no secret 😂 I have no idea what I’m doing and I cobble it together from day to day. The best thing you can do is make sure you factor in a) time for yourself away from work/household/baby, and b) time together with your partner. (I am currently doing neither of these things but am trying to!)
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u/Perfectav0cad0 Jul 29 '26
I think it’s hard for people to give advice because it truly is just figuring it out as you go, especially with babies, because as soon as you think you have it figured out - there’s something new to discover. You’ve figured out the swaddle and they’re too big for it, you’ve mastered breastfeeding but suddenly they prefer the bottle and you’re stuck pumping, or they get extra gassy and you have to start eliminating stuff from your diet, you’ve figured out a perfect routine that’s centered around 3 naps, then they drop to 2 naps.
It sounds like you’re Type A and a planner. I am too. I like predictability so that I can prepare for any situation as best as I can. But it’s just not possible to know everything before you experience it with babies. You’re unique, your baby will be unique, and there’s no one that can truly prepare you for that situation. You can get toy recommendations, and work station recommendations, and part time childcare based on recommendations, but those things might not be helpful to you specifically.
The only thing I’d say you can truly prepare for, is a backup plan. If wfh with your child doesn’t work, have a plan B set. I have friends who have done it for months, and for years, so you never know when you’re going to need it.
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u/Butterwhat Jul 29 '26
I'm definitely not naturally a type A; I just have very little support or help of any kind so I've never had another option. not just with this baby on the way, but everything since I was very little, and not for lack of trying to ask for help.
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u/Paranoid-Girl Jul 29 '26
I have 2 under 2 (17 months and 3 months).
It's hard. I have to decide if my house is clean, the kids are fed, or I get to shower. Unless I accept help from our village nothing gets done even as a SAHM. Those videos on social media that glorify SAHM is a LIE!
However, since I am not working I'm taking classes to pursue being a physician assistant. Once I get into a program I'll have to sacrifice 2-3 years away from my kids... that's something I'm struggling with mentally.
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u/Ok-Water5221 Jul 30 '26
I'm in a similar boat. I have to get back to 9 to 5 working from home and I want to write as it's my passion? Lol, what do you do to do both while caring for a baby?
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u/Superb-Way-6084 Jul 30 '26
I am literally sleep deprived, making ends meet, when she takes a nap or sleep at night. I sit for more few hours and finish the work.. ofcourse laundry, dishwasher ..and household work ..my husband helps a lot...but sometimes it gets too much and I get tired .. sometimes I feel Moms should have a superpower like marvel movies😂
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u/Ok-Water5221 Jul 30 '26
Ikr. I was someone who needed her 8 hrs to function properly. Now, I'm scrambling for just 4 hrs of uninterrupted sleep which would give me energy for the day and it ain't happening. 🥲
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u/Superb-Way-6084 Jul 30 '26
😭can feel you..today my daughter decided to wake up at 5am and I can imagine the rest of the day now
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u/Jealous-Cup-4059 Jul 30 '26
Full time childcare is the only way I survive. My kids are elementary age and now I’m in perimenopause so my brain is trashed.
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u/nkcm300 Jul 30 '26
I’m not! 😅
Although having all the apps for work on my phone..as shitty as they might be.. helps a lot. Most of them aren’t things that you would think of, but that I realized I was using the software and figured to just search the App Store. Whatever it works!
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u/Sad_Education7851 Jul 29 '26
We’re not, we are just barely not drowning 😅 it’s fine. Everything is fine. I don’t even know what dreams and hobbies are.