Working 9 to 5

Finally! I have caught up to the right month. It was difficult getting to this point. I was not expecting to go back to work before the end of the year. With the stock market on the decline Papas worried that our future plans could be deferred.

I had to find a job, interview, find a Nanny and transition from SAHM to 9 to5 mom. The good news was after being at home for fifteen months I knew what I was looking for in the workforce. I felt confident of what I was worth, the type of schedule I wanted to keep and how much I wanted to earn.

Trying to find a job that would allow me to have some flex time was not very easy, but definitely worth the try. As an Interactive Producer it was hard to imagine a new employer would allow me to work from home 1 or 2 days a week, even though I think it is possible. I interviewed with 3 companies including my former agency. In every interview I laid down my cards, but only one employer was willing to negotiate and finally accept my flex time proposal. We settled on hard stop time at 5:00pm. Not so bad considering one can stay in the office until 7:00pm or even 9:00pm easily these days.

We decided Nanny care would be best for Marley. I had to search, call and interview again, this time for the right caregiver. At first I considered a Nanny finding agency like Absolute Best Care. One of the owners was kind enough to walk me through the entire process and his experience finding a Nanny. The bottom line was this option was too expensive a one tine payment of 15% of the Nanny’s annual income + application fee. Following the recommendation of another mom, I posted an ad on craigslist.com. In the end I found taking the time to read through the postings of various Nanny’s was the best way for me to find possible candidates. I met 6 to 8 people who were all wonderful. When I found the right person, I cried. I just knew in my heart I had found the person I could leave Marley with.

Since our Nanny was not available to start until the 1st of the month, Marley’s grandmother came to visit the week prior to our Nanny’s official start date. Leaving Marley with her Abuela my first week back to work also made the transition smoother for both us.

I was able to transition myself and Marley into a new routine, but there was one thing I could not get off of my mind. What about my blog, my photos, my dream to being a Momtrepreneur. Everyday I walked to the train I would daydream of what I thought I wanted for myself, my family and how I could get it. Going back to work gave me an urgent desire to follow through.