I've worked from home for well over a decade. Back then, I lived out of state. My partner at the time lacked in the area of adulting. That included maintaining employment. Not only was I was I supporting her, but I was also supporting her mother who lived in their family house beside the house we were renting. Eventually, we took over the family home. Even though I was making really good money, it wasn't enough to support 2 houses, 3 adult humans, and 2 furry kids.
Back then, even after we took over the family home and the financial stress eased up a bit, I was faced with another big issue.
The expectations of someone who works at home.
An additional area that my ex slacked in were household duties. That included housework, laundry, cooking, and most times, yard work.
It was always assumed that because I worked from home, I could tackle it all while working.
Did it really matter if I broke free from my laptop for 10 minutes to fold laundry or vacuum the entire downstairs?
What was the big deal, right?
At the time, it was a big deal. I was facing the same work-at-home struggles that a lot of people were dealing with.
The expectations.
What pinched my nerves the most was that my partner at the time wasn't employed. I remember one afternoon she was watching a movie. I had 10 minutes to spare between a meeting and my actual shift. I needed to vacuum. She got pissed at me because she was in the middle of a movie.
True. Story.
As the years rolled on, I made some serious changes. I left the situation and all of the people in their entirety. That was almost 9 years ago.
In the here and now, I still do the majority of the housework. I do all of the cooking and baking. I get stuff done around the house between my work stuff.
The difference?
There is a balance. There are no expectations. Lisa works outside of the home. I'm a Work at Home Dog Mom.
We both get up at 4 a.m. While Lisa takes our kids out and feeds them breakfast, I make Lisa a hot breakfast and packs her lunch for work.
From the time she leaves for work at 5:30 a.m. until the time she gets home mid to late afternoon, I work, take care of our kids, get housework done, prep and cook dinner for us and the kids, bake snacks, etc.
It's a big part of my schedule.
And, I don't mind that at all.
Because I know if I'm having an exceptionally busy day, Lisa will jump in and help out with stuff after she gets home from work and spends time with the kids.
She doesn't complain. She doesn't ask why things weren't done.
She doesn't have expectations because she knows that being a Work at Home Dog Mom is a 24/7 job. The housework and cooking and baking that I get done between all of that are appreciated.
The operative word is appreciated.
That appreciation goes both ways.
On my end, my day would be so much easier if I didn't incorporate housework, cooking, and baking into my schedule.
But, I do.
Lisa works hard outside of the home to provide for me and the kids.
We appreciate that.
I do my best to make sure she doesn't have to do anything extra when she gets home from work.
Balance.
Appreciation.
Working together.
That makes all the difference in the world.
I love being a Work at Home Dog Mom.
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