Saturday Sidebar:  Do You Work in or Outside the Home?

Saturday Sidebar: Do You Work in or Outside the Home?

This week’s Saturday Sidebar Question comes from World Moms Blog writer The Alchemist.  We know that in reality, all moms are “working” moms, but she is wondering…

“Are you a stay-at-home mom, a working mom, or a work from home mom? Do you want to make the switch now or someday in future? Why or why not?”

Check out what some of our World Moms had to say…

Lady E of Indonesia writes:
“I am a working single mother. I struggle, on a daily basis, to find the balance between meeting the needs of my son and my job while still trying to care for myself in the process. I am incredibly lucky because my son is a student in the wonderful International school where I teach, so I get to see him throughout the day. While I have always yearned for the opportunity to be able to focus only on my son, I know that I derive a great deal of fulfillment from my work. While the grass does often look greener on the stay-at-home Mom side, I cannot imagine my life any other way.” (more…)

World Moms Blog

World Moms Blog is an award winning website which writes from over 30 countries on the topics of motherhood, culture, human rights and social good. Over 70 international contributors share their stories from around the globe, bonded by the common thread of motherhood and wanting a better world for their children. World Moms Blog was listed by Forbes Woman as one of the "Best 100 Websites for Women 2012 & 2013" and also called a "must read" by the NY Times Motherlode in 2013. Our Senior Editor in India, Purnima Ramakrishnan, was awarded the BlogHer International Activist Award in 2013.

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Saturday Sidebar: What is something that surprised you about motherhood that you never expected?

Saturday Sidebar: What is something that surprised you about motherhood that you never expected?

This week’s Saturday Sidebar Question comes from World Moms Blog writer Maggie Ellison. She asked our writers,

“What is something that surprised you about motherhood that you never expected?”

Check out what some of our World Moms had to say…

Alison Lee of Malaysia writes:
“I had no idea I could function so well with so little sleep. I had no idea I could take such quick showers. I had no idea I could do so many things with one hand and not wake the baby who’s in the other arm. I had no idea my gross meter would alter so much (poop, puke, pee? No problem). I had no idea how much it hurts when my children hurt. I had no idea I could love this much”

Ana Gaby of Indonesia writes:

I never thought I could love a little person so much. I always heard about how moms would give their lives for their children and how they mean the world to them and I never understood it until now.

Jennifer Burden of New Jersey, USA writes:
“I thought going in that I knew my limits. But what I didn’t expect was that motherhood defined new limits for me when it came to sleep and pushing myself that extra mile. And, in turn, helped me learn the importance of taking time to rejuvenate. I have a newfound sense of strength, both physical and mental (mind over matter). I can talk matter of factly about how it has affected me, when it becomes more personal about being the mother to my daughters – they’ve shown me a new level of love that I can’t explain!”

Jennifer Clark Johns of USA writes:

I too found strength I never knew I had from the sleepless nights to the colic and the all-consuming thoughts of being responsible for another human being, etc. I agree that the love I have for my boys is unlike any other love I’ve ever felt. I mean, I LOVE my husband, but when it comes to my children: I defend them, support them, love them, protect them, fight for them and although they sometimes test this with their choice of actions, it truly is an UNCONDITIONAL love. I am always telling my sons that “although I may not love, or even like the decisions you have made, I will ALWAYS love YOU. No matter what.”

Karyn Van Der Zwet of New Zealand writes:
“It was, and still is, that I rarely get to start and finish an activity in one sitting. My life is completely syncopated and it drives me insane”

Maman Aya of New York, USA writes:
“I never though I’d be able to carry and give birth to my own children (although I hoped). I never knew how little sleep I actually need to function properly. How deeply I can sleep once I am able to get to bed. How to really appreciate quiet. How to really appreciate all the chaos in my life. And most of all how to love another with every fiber of my being twice! :-)”

Mannahattamamma of United Arab Emirates writes:
“I never expected that I would laugh so much with my babies (well, with and at, actually). So much fun. Of course, I never expected I would be so bored, either. How many rounds of “peek-a-boo” can a person play before she goes absolutely stark raving mad? Those endless hours between waking up from afternoon nap, through the dinner hour, until bedtime. That was like an entire 24 hours all by itself.”

Purnima (The Alchemist) of India writes:

I never thought I would be able to drop it all for the sake of the ‘baby.’ I never expected me to be happy, contented and blissful being a stay-at-home mom. If someone would have told me this before baby-days, I would have talked feminism, modern-woman, career goals and so much of mumbo-jumbo. And I agree to the rest of the things these wonderful ladies say, like taking a quick shower, laughing so much, sustaining on so less sleep for endless hours and unconditional love above all.

Ruth Wong of Singapore writes:
“I used to think that being a mom will be limiting, especially where career is concerned. But I discovered I was wrong. Being a mom has opened up new doors that would not have been possible if I wasn’t a mom. It has added a whole new dimension to my understanding of womanhood. More importantly, being a mom has enabled me to reach deep within me to discover inner strengths that I never knew was there.”

Tina Rodriguez of Philippines writes:
“I never thought I’d be able to “find my groove” when I became a mother, i.e. I never thought that I’d discover what it is I am really MEANT to do in this world… all because I became a mom! I also didn’t know I’d be able to give birth naturally with both kids; survive with so little sleep; breastfeed for two years plus for both kids (three now, with the youngest); enjoy babywearing and co-sleeping; homeschool; and SO MUCH MORE!”

What about you… what surprised you about motherhood that you did not expect?

And do you have a question you would like to pose to our WMB writers? If so, email us at wmbsidebareditor@gmail.com to see what they have to say.

Don’t forget to visit us tomorrow to check out the travel itinerary for next week!

– World Moms Blog

Photo credit to http://www.flickr.com/photos/pinksherbet/3372160289/. This photo has a creative commons attribute license.

World Moms Blog

World Moms Blog is an award winning website which writes from over 30 countries on the topics of motherhood, culture, human rights and social good. Over 70 international contributors share their stories from around the globe, bonded by the common thread of motherhood and wanting a better world for their children. World Moms Blog was listed by Forbes Woman as one of the "Best 100 Websites for Women 2012 & 2013" and also called a "must read" by the NY Times Motherlode in 2013. Our Senior Editor in India, Purnima Ramakrishnan, was awarded the BlogHer International Activist Award in 2013.

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Saturday Sidebar: When are children old enough to bathe themselves?

Saturday Sidebar: When are children old enough to bathe themselves?

This week’s Saturday Sidebar Question comes from World Moms Blog writer Maman Aya.  She asked our writers,

“At what age did you let your child(ren) bathe/shower themselves?”

Check out what some of our World Moms had to say…

Tina Rodriguez of Philippines writes:
“My kids are still five and three, but we’re trying to get our five-year-old-going-on-six to learn to bathe himself in preparation for the future! :)” (more…)

World Moms Blog

World Moms Blog is an award winning website which writes from over 30 countries on the topics of motherhood, culture, human rights and social good. Over 70 international contributors share their stories from around the globe, bonded by the common thread of motherhood and wanting a better world for their children. World Moms Blog was listed by Forbes Woman as one of the "Best 100 Websites for Women 2012 & 2013" and also called a "must read" by the NY Times Motherlode in 2013. Our Senior Editor in India, Purnima Ramakrishnan, was awarded the BlogHer International Activist Award in 2013.

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Saturday Sidebar: Who is your kindred spirit in parenting?

WMB Writer Kyla P’an and her kindred spirit in parenting, Rachel Osen.

There are so many different parenting styles in the world, which makes World Moms Blog writer, Tara B. ask,

“Do you have a kindred spirit in parenting? Aside from the bond of motherhood and the fact that all moms want the best for their kid…is there someone you know who operates just like you on the basic nuts and bolts of day to day parenting?  If so, how did you find him/her?”

Check out what some of our World Moms had to say…

Kyla P’an of Massachusetts, USA writes:
“Yes, my friend in Montana, Rachel Osen. I don’t know if it’s because our kids are the same genders and exactly the same ages, or if it’s because our pre-children adulthood was so parallel, but she’s one of the few people I can be so open with about the trials and tribulations of parenting. I feel like we protect or guard our true selves all the time, much like Ruth Wong discussed in Motherhood is NOT a Competition, but I never feel that way with Rachel.” (more…)

World Moms Blog

World Moms Blog is an award winning website which writes from over 30 countries on the topics of motherhood, culture, human rights and social good. Over 70 international contributors share their stories from around the globe, bonded by the common thread of motherhood and wanting a better world for their children. World Moms Blog was listed by Forbes Woman as one of the "Best 100 Websites for Women 2012 & 2013" and also called a "must read" by the NY Times Motherlode in 2013. Our Senior Editor in India, Purnima Ramakrishnan, was awarded the BlogHer International Activist Award in 2013.

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Saturday Sidebar: We know exercise is good for us….but how do you fit it in?

This week’s Saturday Sidebar Question comes from World Moms Blog writer Maggie Ellison.  She asked our writers,

“Do you have an exercise schedule? How do you do it with kids? What do you do?”

Check out what some of our World Moms had to say…

Hamakkomommy of Japan writes:
“Yes! I downloaded some circuit-training type exercise videos onto my iPad from iTunes. Nowadays I usually work out while the kids are at school, but before that (and now when they are off school), I would let them watch a video while I exercised with the iPad right behind them.

I choose routines that are no more than thirty minutes long and often have to pause frequently and attend to the kids. It’s not ideal, and I don’t really like letting them watch TV, but it’s the best I can do right now. I usually manage to exercise four times a week, plus living in the city in Japan I have to do lots of walking and bicycling whether I want to or not.” (more…)

World Moms Blog

World Moms Blog is an award winning website which writes from over 30 countries on the topics of motherhood, culture, human rights and social good. Over 70 international contributors share their stories from around the globe, bonded by the common thread of motherhood and wanting a better world for their children. World Moms Blog was listed by Forbes Woman as one of the "Best 100 Websites for Women 2012 & 2013" and also called a "must read" by the NY Times Motherlode in 2013. Our Senior Editor in India, Purnima Ramakrishnan, was awarded the BlogHer International Activist Award in 2013.

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Saturday Sidebar: Your favorite post so far….

Since we are headed on a blogcation, we thought we would leave you, our readers, with some links to some of our favorite posts to catch up on some reading while we’re away.

Tara B. of Washington State, USA writes:
“Karyn’s March 2011 post titled “Sometimes, I Hide in My Pantry”  is one of my favorite posts.  In this post, Karyn is funny, relatable and informative (defining “domestic blindness”).  As a mother of two growing boys myself, this post stuck in my mind and made me feel better about my own home’s contained chaos.”

Karyn Van Der Zwet of New Zealand writes:
“I really liked the three part series on breastfeeding (Part 1, Part 2, Part 3) that Carol posted.”

Ana Gaby Turner of Indonesia writes:
“I really liked A Lady In France’s “We do What We Can“.  This was one of the first posts I read on WMB and I could relate so much to it that it got me thinking I’m not the only crazy one trying to acclimatize to a new culture while keeping my own.” (more…)

World Moms Blog

World Moms Blog is an award winning website which writes from over 30 countries on the topics of motherhood, culture, human rights and social good. Over 70 international contributors share their stories from around the globe, bonded by the common thread of motherhood and wanting a better world for their children. World Moms Blog was listed by Forbes Woman as one of the "Best 100 Websites for Women 2012 & 2013" and also called a "must read" by the NY Times Motherlode in 2013. Our Senior Editor in India, Purnima Ramakrishnan, was awarded the BlogHer International Activist Award in 2013.

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