September 16 Is National Working Parents Day, And We Are Here For It

Did you know in over 60% of families both parents work outside the home?

If you’re a working parent, today is your day.

We all know being a parent is no joke; throw a full or part-time job into the mix and you bet your ass you deserve a national day to be recognized even if you don’t take the time stop and acknowledge yourself for pulling off something that seems impossible most days.

Being a working parent means you wake up about 5 minutes before the alarm goes off and curse every morning, because damn, you really could have used the extra 5 minutes of rest because what’s coming is enough to make you want to sleep for 5 years: You need to get yourself up, get your kids up, everyone needs to be dressed, fed and be in a somewhat functional state.

Where’s the damn coffee mugs? Are they all dirty?

Am I wearing matching shoes?

Does Jack have gym today?

Did I let someone in the office know I have to leave early for my doctor’s appointment today?

Is it going to make me late picking up the kids?

What month is it again?

In the midst of all that fog and confusion, you somehow manage to pull it together and get everyone where they need to be because you are amazing like that.

Sometimes all that amazing-ness happens in matching shoes, and sometimes it doesn’t.

You might worry you are sacrificing your family for your career. You might feel bad if you take extra time at work to earn more money, that promotion you’ve been dying to get, or simply because you love what you do and it feeds your soul.

You probably have times when you are at home with your family and you feel that pull toward work and you often have to stop to send that email, check on that report, or double check you did, in fact, get something done on time because you literally can not remember.

You know you can’t physically be in two places at once, but it doesn’t keep you from trying. We are motivated by our family to provide, and for many of us, that means we gotta punch in and punch out.

Your days can feel like a jumbled mess and there are many nights you are driving home and feel like the morning wasn’t just 9 hours ago — it seems like it was days ago and you aren’t even sure if you ate breakfast.

Work mixes with home life; it’s impossible to keep in all separate in this day and age of being able to get work done from home, but you figure it out.

You continue to meet the kids’ needs, do what you need to for your family, and keep yourself fueled on caffeine and snuggles.

If you are anything like me, you don’t do it with much grace, but you manage. You get it done in-between calling everyone by the wrong name and wanting to tear your hair out because you are running late every morning no matter how much you prepare the night before.

So even if you don’t have time today to treat yourself to a massage, a special lunch out, or a pedicure to celebrate National Working Parents Day (I know, I’m laughing, too), take a moment, look in the rear view mirror on the way to work and remind yourself of all you’ve accomplished.

You are showing your kids it’s possible to live your dream, invest in your career, and be a kick ass parent. You are showing them they are capable of great things and they don’t have to choose between having a family and a career if that’s not what they want.

And they probably won’t remember you mostly called them by their brother’s name, your mismatched shoes, or those times you forgot to remind them to grab their gym sneakers.