Enjoying my morning coffee in peace, and while it's still hot. 
Good Morning!
What's your favorite perk of being a working parent, right this second?
(Disclaimer: we all know there are tons of perks of being a SAHP as well! 
This is just for fun!)
nectarine / 2951 posts
I love having a profession that I'm proud of and that's part of my identity, feeling like I'm not just a mom, having adult conversations and a supportive community, and having additional income and financial independence. That being said, I've got a good work/home balance because I'm a teacher. I get a taste of being home every summer!
pomegranate / 3858 posts
Bathroom breaks when I want them, and solo! Coffee while it's hot. Plugging in my headphones and zoning out to my work
watermelon / 14467 posts
Right now, I'm enjoying that I don't have to stay home for every sick day. Tomorrow I get to escape to work!
pear / 1837 posts
I'm 3 weeks in from mat leave, and the only thing I can think of is peeing in peace and being able to fit in a workout during lunch.
grapefruit / 4187 posts
Pretty much everything, haha! I love my family and would stay home in a heartbeat if we ever decided it was necessary but I am SO HAPPY being at work, talking to adults, using the bathroom alone, eating what I want when I want while it's hot, etc.
wonderful pear / 26210 posts
For me, there are two main perks, one is of course the paycheck. It means that we can save, but also spend. We just went on vacation and while we weren't extravagant by any means, I was glad that I didn't have to worry about the price of a bottle of water, we could go out for a nice dinner, etc. It basically for me, means that we can allocate enough for our savings goals but also have a little bit of fun too.
The other is a little more difficult to quantify, but it comes down to being exposed to a lot of people and their differing ideas. The people that I work with are the true asset of the firm, they come from all over the world and have expanded my worldview in ways I never expected.
pear / 1586 posts
I really like my coworkers (i.e., they are my friends) so I get a lot of high-quality social interaction while working. Then I can cocoon with DH and DS after work and on the weekends and don't feel completely antisocial!
grapefruit / 4418 posts
Uninterrupted coffee and hot meals, happy hours you are required to go to, sense of individual identity separate from being a mom!
wonderful clementine / 24134 posts
@LulaBee: I need to get better about using my lunch break wisely! And taking a morning/afternoon break to get up and walk/stretch versus catch up on HB.
wonderful clementine / 24134 posts
@jape14: Yes! This as well.
I often use lunch time to catch up with friends (especially other working moms). So I dont feel I need to leave DH for "girls night" because I get some of that time during the week.
pear / 1837 posts
@T.H.O.U.: Priorities, lol!
My morning and afternoon breaks are spent pumping, but I'll occasionally sneak out for a walk around the block. 
pomelo / 5258 posts
Trips to the bathroom alone.
Reuniting with my kids at the end of the day when we're excited to see each other.
papaya / 10570 posts
Drinking hot coffee and popping out to a clothes shop on my lunch break. Being able to listen to my own music in the car during my commute (after I've dropped E off). Being able to talk to someone without a toddler screaming "stop talking".
wonderful pomelo / 30692 posts
Breakfast with a good friend at work! And being able to read my e-mails while drinking my coffee without anyone mashing on my keyboard or whining at me! 
cantaloupe / 6171 posts
The feeling of having my brain back to myself for a little while, and having my own individual identity, but also the moment when I pick up lo at daycare and she runs into my arms 
kiwi / 597 posts
I work PT, but it makes me appreciate and enjoy the time I spend with my kids so much more. When I was on maternity leave I sort of took that for granted.
persimmon / 1129 posts
Running errands by myself over lunch! I'm lucky to work near a shopping center with a Target, Hobby Lobby, and Whole Foods and pretty close to the library. It is SO lovely to walk around Target alone during lunch.
honeydew / 7303 posts
Dropping my cranky kids off and listening to my audiobook on my way to work in silence!
pomelo / 5220 posts
Working out on my lunch break + zoning out on the internet for a few minutes here and there in peace + hot coffee. Oh and my nice paycheck that helps us live more comfortably (i.e. save and travel).
nectarine / 2148 posts
Everything about my day. lol. Going to the gym, enjoying a hot coffee, listening to podcast, getting through emails, can sit down for more than 5 minutes, not listening to crying all day, have a decent conversation with friends, going out to lunch, having some peace and quiet, having alone time, peeing alone, having time to shave in the shower, having time to look decent for the day... sooo many things. all happened today. lol.
pear / 1510 posts
Yesterday, I got a prenatal massage in the middle of the day. It was a gift from my coworkers. AMAZING.
pomelo / 5084 posts
@regberadaisy: Your perk is my perk! Haha! Drinking my coffee and reading HelloBee at my desk on the days I get a chance before I dive into work!
grapefruit / 4455 posts
@regberadaisy: I just a started but I'd say not being in charge of just about every single problem with the kids.
pear / 1672 posts
-Getting to have breakfast or lunch with friends
-Getting to work on interesting things that impact people's lives for the better (at least in my job anyway)
-A paycheck and increasing said paycheck. This is big for me. It's psychologically important for me to maintain some semblance of financial independence.
grapefruit / 4988 posts
So many things. I love my work, love the adult conversation, love the extra money we make, love putting degree to use. And of course the little things, like being able to get a pastry at the coffee shop and eat it all by myself or being able to pee without someone opening the door on me. I also like being able to sit there with headphones on and listen to whatever I want (aka not the Frozen soundtrack AGAIN).
persimmon / 1188 posts
I'm going to lunch today with a former colleague. She's also a working mom so it'll be nice to catch up on work stuff and kid stuff.
wonderful kiwi / 23653 posts
I can drink/eat as I please, pretty much have the whole day to myself, go to Target or other places during lunch, and HB as much as I want!
pear / 1521 posts
I'm a teacher so jealous of those who are listing being able to go to the bathroom whenever and drink coffee hot or run errands during the day that not so much. And I don't get a ton of adult conversation but obviously more than if I were home! And I could get more but when I'm at work I'm pretty focused and not super social.
Right now my biggest perk is all the vacation time, the hours and the $$. And just getting a break from being a mom! This will be my first summer home that wasn't maternity leave and I'm sure I'll be very ready to go back to work in the fall!
pear / 1879 posts
My work is such an integral part of who I am and I find it important to incorporate it into my life, even when LO is young. Although I sometimes focus on the downsides of working FT and being away from LO during the day, this is all I know so it just works for me. Some of the perks, though, include drinking my coffee in peace (love how that's a theme here!), having some quiet time to focus on a task, and having lots of adult interaction.
wonderful grape / 20453 posts
I called in sick today with a stomach bug and the kids are at daycare!
pear / 1718 posts
A paycheck.
Working 60 hours/week right now and not having enough time with my sick kid as I would like. *debbie downer alert*
grapefruit / 4235 posts
-the income
-the sense of identity
-totally agree on the potty training! +++
-going to school every day makes it much easier to get the kids out of the house on the weekends.
-I value our time together more!
-L said to me today, "Mommy, it makes me sad when you have to go to work. But when you come to school and pick me up, it makes me so, so happy."
cantaloupe / 6131 posts
I work 3 days a week, so I get a mix of both SAH and WOH.
Things I love:
- Coffee and NPR on the way to work. DH handles pick up and drop off 2 out of the 3 days I work, so those days I can just get in my car and go into work.
- Using my law degree in a job I'm good at and interacting with colleagues that I enjoy.
- I don't make that much money after all the associated costs (commuting, parking, daycare, etc), but I get ridiculously cheap health benefits that saves us a bundle.
- When things are slow, I can do things like HB, read the news, online shop, research deals, coupon, make my grocery list, menu plan, and catch up on emails with friends.
GOLD / cantaloupe / 6703 posts
Reading, having yummy snacks without sharing, friendship of my coworkers, genuinely enjoying what I do, paycheck, benefits.
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