Hellobee Boards

What's awesome for me is that I am contributing to the family's finances. It feels great that we can think about retiring at a reasonable age, paying for some of our son's college, paying off our mortgage well before our 30 year term.

I've also invested a lot in myself. I have a $150k education and I WANT to use it. I do something very specialized and I am proud to be part of a small community of Wall Streeters in this business.

I also really like my son's daycare set up. I was lucky to be with him until age 2, then we transitioned him to a center with supplemental care by my parents and he has just absoultely thrived there. He has friends, he has fun.

Lastly, I focus on quality of time, not quantity. There were days when I was at home that we literally did nothing. Granted, it's nice to sit around in your pajamas all day, but for a 3 year old, it's boring. Having a schedule is a good thing and having time with his parents is even better because we're present and involved.

Dude, EVERYTHING!!!!!!!!

- Maintaining my identity as a non-mom adult.. ie someone who has my career, has adult interaction every day, has time away from the baby.

- DRINKING COFFEE UNINTERRUPTED. And breakfast. And lunch.

- Having a routine that doesn't revolve around naps.

- Making my own money.

- Giving LO the chance to interact with other kids at daycare- she loooooooves it.

- Seeing the look on my LOs face when I get her at daycare!

Going to the bathroom alone.

Using the bathroom in peace!

Constant adult interaction.

LO loves her friends at daycare! She walks around repeating their names all the time.

@looch: omg YES. I can never talk on the phone in piece anymore. LO demands the phone then walks around talking with it so I can't hear what the other person is saying and vice versa. It's cute and frustrating at the same time.

Time alone, getting to think about non-baby things (aka use my brain to its fullest potential), eating lunch while gossiping with coworkers, and continuing to excel in my career and move up the ladder.

Don't get me wrong I miss J tons and there are times when I think he is starting to think his babysitter is mom, but when we have our nights and weekends I really make it a point to get quality time in not just regular time if that makes sense.

@Bookish: Health insurance is HUGE. I get FREE family health insurance through my work. There is no way in hell I can ever not work because of that fact alone.

$, alone time, change of scenery, everything...

- Adult interaction (even if it is with people you may not like haha)
- Lunch break where I can read my book for a whole hour uninterrupted
- Money...number one reason I WOH.
- Using both sides of my brain on a regular basis. I feel "smart" when I'm at work.

financial, mental, emotional, educational, etc. are all impacted positively (most days).

i also am grateful to be have a flex schedule which makes working MUCH easier.

Most of the above mentioned things I had expected. What I didn't think about was how much more stimulating daycare is, which means DD is sleeping a lot less during the day which equals 9-11 stretches of sleep at night.

I eating my lunch uninterrupted.

Forgot most importantly peeling by myself!

EVERYTHING.

I really like working and it does make me a better parent. I don't get burnt out by my kid so easily and I genuinely enjoy all my time with her. When it's 24/7/365, I honestly don't enjoy it as much. E loves daycare and is a well socialized baby. It feels good to put on real clothes and makeup and go to work like an adult, really! I get stir crazy, otherwise. Some days I don't like work, but it's good for me. I pride myself on providing for my family just like a man would, and it's important that i put my education and salary to good use. I want E to see and know what a solid education does for her and that her mommy brings home some bacon, too I enjoy using my brain to solve adult problems, have tangible accomplishments, etc. And, yeah, it's nice to have the money to go on vacations and buy her clothes and treat myself to stuff sometimes, too!

I want to re-iterate that I feel like shit today, am taking a sick day, and took E to daycare, and it is AWESOME to be able to rest and whatnot without her around. I'm far less paranoid about getting her sick!