How Does a Parent of Young Kids Balance Work and Family?

Me, Karen and the boys...
Me, Karen and the boys…

1. By accepting less than ideal in both

Or

2. They don’t.

Author: joejmedler

Joe Medler lives in New Jersey with his wife, who is universally understood to be far too good for him, and his two young sons, who are far too smart for him. His work has been featured on MamaLode, The Original Bunker Punks and Sammiches and Psych Meds. You can find more of his work at https://developingdad.com/ and follow him on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/developingdad

11 thoughts on “How Does a Parent of Young Kids Balance Work and Family?”

  2. I agree very much, it’s such a delicate balance between the two. I stay at home with my kids. One in school and one preparing for preschool. I find with my husband working full time my plate is full with balancing out everyone’s needs. And when I do get a workable routine going someone gets sick. So back to the drawing board I must go. 😉

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    1. Thank you so much for reading. I never ever would have thought it this hard. Of course it’s hard to remember when I was so uninformed as to believe this, but still. That said it’s all a wonder and I don’t for a second wish it weren’t so. I try to stay in the moment and relish the challenge, but there are times when I buy a scratch off ticket, hope for a lifetime of security and daydream of not having to balance the two!

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      1. Yes thank you for saying that!!! I know my husband struggles with the same perdicament. He is always connected to his work, his phone goes off at all hours dinging for emails, phone calls and texts. I know this is the way it is when he’s the boss. The problem is our kids just don’t get it, especially our oldest. I find the delicate balance is being the parent who’s home trying to assuage fears and calm anxieties.

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      2. The parent at home has the harder, more persistent and certainly less forgiving job. These are both mine and my wife’s insights. We’ve taken turns since maternity and while the rewards are far better at home in our case (outside of pay and benefits of course), the ongoing nature of being torn between the two just sucks. That said, nothing really sucks. It’s all pretty great. I’ll certainly think of this time of my life as the time I was MOST alive.

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      3. Oh how I love that!!! This time in your life, is the time you’re most alive. ❤️ Kudos to you and your wife taking turns with maternity leaves. To me that’s what a marriage partnership is all about. I’ve been blessed to be at home one year with my first son. And with my second I never went back to work. And when I’m feeling overwhelmed and my tunnel vision thinks things suck, that’s best time to count my blessings. Thank you Joe for the great chat. 😃

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  3. Pingback: Roar. Regret. Try not to repeat. | developing dad

  4. I think being both at one time or another, I learned how it best works for me is that I pick my battles. Not everything is a 911 response, and not everything deserves to blown off. I think in a one parent or two parent home as long as you keep that in mind you don’t lose all you sanity, some but not all. Lol.

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  6. Ideals are the stuff fantasies are made of. Knowing that balance is not always going to happen, and ACCEPTING it, is how we stay happy in “what IS”, instead if obsessing over “what SHOULD BE”. Thanks for sharing:)

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