working – Mediocre Mum

Working from home….can it work?

I was over the moon when hubby started work again a few weeks ago. The only downside is we’re both working from home, we have a tiny house and I’ve been doing it a long time so have a rhythm and not used to having someone under my feet. Something has to give. This is my day and my hubby’s day…what do you reckon?

Mediocre Mum

Woke up before everyone else but not too early
Did the washing up from last night
Put a load of washing on
Made packed lunch
Gave Madame Breakfast
Did her ear drops and antibiotics
Helped her get dressed, brushed her hair, reading journal, boots and jacket
Did my invoicing
Sent out an email campaign
Responded to a few work emails
Went to the post office, pet store for Hamster supplies, Sainsbury’s for a few bits and Matalan.
Telephone conference with a client
Cooked Thai Green Chicken Soup for dinner
Cleaned the house in anticipation of the cleaner
Drove 50 miles to work including the Dartford tunnel, delivered a training session to 30 people with enthusiasm, drove 50 miles back, got stuck in a traffic jam, drove like a loon.
Picked up Madame, gave her a snack, danced around the lounge, gave her a bath, brushed hair, jammies, played with Hamster and did Bedtime stories.
Completed post visit reports
Plus another round of ear drops and antibiotics
Sorted Childcare for next week.
Wrote this post
Poured myself a very large glass of wine and hit Twitter!
Served dinner

Hubby

Drove Madame to school
Sat in the corner in the kitchen on his computer all day……and he’s still there.

I rest my case! Comments or suggestions on how we are going to make this work?

How not to work with bloggers

I don’t blog for money, I do it for the craic and it’s a way for me to expand on 140 characters sometimes. However, as a blogger we’re sometimes asked to review products, attend events or try things out with our kids with the hope that we’ll blog about it. It’s a great way for companies to advertise and we get to try out a lot of cool things that we may otherwise not get to.

In this case, I was sent a recipe and asked to do some baking with my daughter. This isn’t the first time I’ve been asked to don an apron and get into the kitchen. I normally don’t mind because I don’t bake enough with Madame and this makes me get in the kitchen and it’s usually fun. The last time I was asked to review a recipe, I was sent everything I’d need.

This time I was sent a recipe, that calls for 7 ingredients and they only sent one of the ingredients with a retail value of 98p. Yup, you heard me right….a whopping 98p. However, the recipe calls for self-raising flour, honey, sultanas, butter, salt and milk. I have a couple of these things in the house but would have to go out and buy the rest. It wouldn’t break the bank but can’t help thinking this is incredibly cheeky. Plus, it will take me about an hour to make it, clean up the mess afterwards and don’t forget the time to write up the review. Sorry, but my time is worth more than a quid.

This isn’t the first time this has happened, I’ve been sent toys where the batteries needed, cost more than the toy itself, asked to travel at my own expense and blatantly asked to do things out of the goodness of my heart which doesn’t include charities or companies that I’m passionate about.

I wouldn’t go so far as to name the PR company, as it would be unprofessional and this particular one isn’t unique in this practice, but I think it’s time that PRs/Companies stop insulting us by asking us to work for nothing.

Heck, I managed to get a £xxx coat off my hubby and it took a lot less time, effort and at least I got a bit of foreplay before being screwed! ;-)

Why is the Childcare My Responsibility?

I’m self-employed so if I don’t go to work I don’t get paid! Fortunately, this has only been an issue 2-3 times in the last couple of years since Madame was born. We decided that I would only go back 3 days a week so I could be a bit more involved. I have a great work life balance as my job is not that demanding and I still get to take her to swimming, dancing, toddler groups etc. However, in this move to part-time work somewhere along the line my job has been devalued in our house.

A few months ago our childminder called in sick. It’s the only time she has ever done it. Panic set in! I called everyone I know and even approached friends who didn’t even know how to change nappies. I couldn’t find anyone. I even contemplated taking her with me to work but thought the school may frown upon this. In the end, I had to cancel the training session.

In hindsight, what I should have done was call hubby at work, stomp my feet and demand he come home. He could’ve taken it as a sick day, still got paid and I wouldn’t have let the school down. It seems obvious to me now but in my panic state I didn’t see it.

It happened again this week, this time I was poorly and really needed for him to stay home but again but he didn’t!

I can assure you it won’t happen again!

Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. But fool me three times…..