Cutting our household income in half was not something my husband or I took lightly. I drew out a budget and we talked about areas we could save money. We had just turned 31 and we have a mortgage and student loans and a new baby. I didn’t marry an established older man; I married my college sweetheart so we didn’t have a huge nest egg (although deciding to grow old with my guy is the best decision I ever made). Did it take getting used to? Yes. Did I have to re-evaluate my spending? Definitely. Did I need all those things I was buying online while spending 50-60 hours a week at my job? Nope. Did they make me happy? For a second… but that’s instant gratification and I’m here for the long haul. So, Mamma, I hope you love what you do and I hope that it brings you all the joy in the world but, if it doesn’t, I’m here to tell you that you can make it work and that it will totally be worth it.
In the past couple of weeks I’ve been asked by a few of my working Mamma friends, “Do you regret leaving your job?” and every time I’ve said no and I’ve meant it. Was it scary? Terrifying. Was it something I ever thought I would do? Hell no. Was it easy? Nope. Has it been worth it? 150% YES! When I was debating whether or not I was going to leave my job to try to start my own business and spend time with Kennedy, I was talking to one of my dear Mamma friends and we were going over my options (she was an attorney so a good person to talk it through with!). She turned to me and said, “Your job is never going to love you back.” I’m pretty sure I went in and gave my two weeks that very next day (not really but it makes a good story). And it’s SO true! Did I love my job? Truthfully? Not particularly. Did I love the recognition of being good at it? Absolutely. Did I love that recognition more than I loved spending every day watching my daughter learn and grow? Not one bit. If you love your job, I totally understand that going back wouldn’t even be a question, of course you would and you would succeed at it but as soon as you start questioning whether or not it’s right for you? It probably isn’t.
Cutting our household income in half was not something my husband or I took lightly. I drew out a budget and we talked about areas we could save money. We had just turned 31 and we have a mortgage and student loans and a new baby. I didn’t marry an established older man; I married my college sweetheart so we didn’t have a huge nest egg (although deciding to grow old with my guy is the best decision I ever made). Did it take getting used to? Yes. Did I have to re-evaluate my spending? Definitely. Did I need all those things I was buying online while spending 50-60 hours a week at my job? Nope. Did they make me happy? For a second… but that’s instant gratification and I’m here for the long haul. So, Mamma, I hope you love what you do and I hope that it brings you all the joy in the world but, if it doesn’t, I’m here to tell you that you can make it work and that it will totally be worth it.
1 Comment
ShirleyMcPhate
4/20/2016 01:27:26 pm
I also made the decision. I stayed home for 16 years. I had to make sacrifices, at times I thought going back to work would be a vacation, but I stayed the course and I'm glad I did. I never missed a school play, teacher conference, athletic event, and was always available when the school nurse called. I think my three turned out pretty well, I have no regrets.
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Concetta Aires is mother to two baby girls, Kennedy Rose and Cecilia Grace. She lives on Capitol Hill and spends her days trying to keep her children alive while keeping her sanity. Archives
June 2018
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