Michelle LaRowe: Delegate. Figure out what you can give away. From getting the family involved with household chores to ordering your groceries online for delivery, take advantage of your momtourage. When you delegate and give away nonessential tasks, you'll have more time in your day to the essentials.
 

 

Michelle: Working moms often have to choose between being at work and being with family, which means they're always faced with the possibility of letting someone down. They come face to face with decisions that force them to compromise their ideals for practicality.
 

They also have to be flexible with the expectations that they place on themselves. This means putting an end to the mental negotiations they often entertain about how they can make everyone happy. 
 

Negotiating creative work options, childcare arrangements and scheduling, however are productive and can also help things run smoothly.
 

But the bottom line is, once working mothers can free themselves from "working mom's guilt" and embrace the idea that they're making the right choice for their family, they'll feel less pressure to be everything to all people all of the time.
 

 

Michelle: From the get go, get dad involved. Be sure he has his daddy time with the kids every day so you can have some time to yourself. Call on your momtourage! Give away all the tasks and responsibilities that you can so that you can focus on what's truly important.
 

Take time for you so that you can reenergize. Start your day with a shower and end it with a bubble bath. Go to bed at a decent hour. If you're a person of faith, surround yourself with scripture, music and engage in conversations with God to reenergize you.

 

 

Michelle: Remember why you're doing what you're doing. For many moms, working is an act of love. It keeps food on the table or provides the extra funds so that the kids can take part in activities. Take time to build a relationship with your caregiver and strive for open and honest communication. Being sure that your caregiver is qualified and capable can also help working moms to feel more confident about leaving their kids in the care of someone else.


 

 

Michelle: Get yourself and your family on a schedule. Compartmentalizing your day can make it more manageable.

Have a place for everything. Knowing where things belong can save you valuable time. You'll no longer have to chase down missing items.

 

Secure quality childcare. Knowing your kids are well cared for can eliminate tons of stress.

 

 

Michelle: When you understand your boundaries you can best work within them. For example, if you know that there is no way you can leave the office between 9 and 5 to attend a child's school performance and you are honest with yourself about that, you won't set your child (or yourself!) up for disappointment and you can take immediate action to make alternate arrangements. 
 

Maybe a family friend or relative can go and video tape it?

Maybe you can attend a rehearsal? Being honest about what you can and can't do puts you on the path to discovering your limitations.


 

 

Michelle: The first thing a working mom should take notice of is if the potential provider seems to have a genuine love of kids. Does she engage the kids and greet them with a warm embrace or does she escort them right to the rug in front of the TV.

Regardless of what type of childcare working moms choose, they MUST do their research. If they're using a nanny or in-home childcare provider they must do a background check and reference check. If they're going with a daycare setting they must ask to see proof of licensing and caregiver credentials. 
 

Take time to interview the caregiver and know who would be caring for your kids. A care giving environment should be clean and childproofed. It should encourage play. If a caregiver doesn't make an effort to get on the floor and play with the kids, you should be having second thoughts. And always, always go with your gut when choosing a childcare provider. 


 

Michelle: I always encourage working moms to set their alarms to get up 15 minutes before everyone else so they can get ready. Once mom is ready she can help everyone else get ready. Do as much as you can the night before (lay out clothes, pack lunches, etc) and have a place for everything! Have a set time for breakfast and leave enough time for everyone to get out on the house on time.
 

 

Michelle: A working mom's best kept secret is the slow cooker! From frozen meatballs to whole chickens dinner is made amazingly simple with this fix it and forget about it style of cooking. Easy meals like pizzas and tacos allow family members to customize their fixings so mom isn't being a short order cook. 
 

Also, I often tell working moms to look and see if there is a meal preparation store in their area. Get the girls together and head out to create a month's worth of meals that can be frozen for future use. Make a double batch of your favorite meals so that you can enjoy one now and freeze one for later. 



Michelle: Keep up with it! Throwing a load of laundry in once a day is much easier than having to throw in 7 loads over the weekend. Commit to cleaning as you go. Don't go to bed with dishes in the sink or stuff thrown about on the floor. Get the kids involved with cleaning up their toys. Set up bins or another simple system they can understand. Inch by inch anything in a cinch!
 

About the Author: Michelle LaRowe is the 2004 International Nanny Association Nanny of the Year and is the author of Working Mom's 411 and the Nanny to the Rescue! parenting series. She holds a degree in chemistry and a certificate in pastoral studies and has spent more than a decade as a professional nanny and parenting consultant.
 

Michelle is an active member of the nanny community and has served on the board of directors and as vice president of the International Nanny Association. She and her husband, Jeff, live on Cape Cod with their daughter, Abigail. To learn more about Michelle visit www.michellelarowe.com.

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