Please Help Me With My Fears!

[springmama]

I am a WOHM 3 days a week about 20+ hours a week. I really like my job but it does not pay well and there is no hope of moving up or even getting a raise. For right now it gives us enough to scrape by on because money is extremely tight. We had planned for me to be a SAHM until the kids were older and even then I didn't really have a plan as to what I would do when the time came for me to go back to work. Two years ago I started working because dh is self employed and his business started really struggling with the economy. Now it is evident that we need a full time income of at least twice as much as I am making now to live comfortably. And I mean frugal money smart comfortable, not vacations and expensive clothes. We would like to be able to save a little bit for retirement, maybe get some health insurance and be able to pay our bills without freaking out!

So I enrolled in college for the first time ever to start working on a degree in teaching which should hopefully help me to get a good paying job. I also should mention that part of the reason I want to go to school is for my own personal fulfillment, I feel uneducated and would LOVE to go to college. The fact that we need more money to survive is what is motivating me to do this now instead of waiting until the kids are way older.

But I am so scared because I already feel so overwhelmed! I have no idea how I will manage the family, chores, work, school and studying. I tend to get really stressed out probably because I am so bad with time management. Has anyone else been there? How did you learn to juggle it all and not feel like you were drwoning?

[mamabutterfly]

Hey there,

I feel you on the juggling and stress... I think it super hard to juggle work + kids. Are you saying you would do PT work and FT school and DH is self employed? How would that work with child care? How old are the kids?

I assume you guys have considered ways for DH to supplement his income for a while? I don't know about you, but in our house I have come to realize I do carry most of the household and kid stuff with both of us working. While I have a degree and could make more money than I am now, I have found that PT work is all I can do while I have a toddler and not lose my mind.

If you feel like stress and time management are issues (and I know they are for me!!), then the load you are talking about sounds like a lot to bear. If you can pay the bills now & your kids are little (I don't know their ages), I'd probably personally put off school just a little or have dh up his income temporarily so I didn't also WOH at the same time. It's super hard to juggle and be present to the kids, for me. My only thought is to be realistic about what you can each handle, and what you LO's need right now. I know many moms do pull off working and school (single moms even!), so I don't mean to sound so discouraging, I was just responding to your thoughts about stress and feeling worried.

Good luck, mama.

[springmama]

Dh can barely keep his business going through this economy so there is no way for him to supplement his income and taking on a part time job himself isn't an option. I have to keep my job for the child care it provides and the small income it brings in. I don't want to put off school because I am not that young anymore! By the time I am ready to enter the work field with a degree my kids will be just about out of the house.

Thanks for your kinds words. I will just have to try it and see where it leads I guess.

[lolar2]

Maybe you could switch to an on-campus job, so at least you'd be commuting less.