Hellobee Boards

I have my masters in social work- I went back to work 3 days a week when my youngest was 16 months old. It was an agency job and the pay was pretty bad. After about 6 months I started taking on a few private practice clients and subletting an office- so now i was working 4 days a week. This was tough, but after about 4 months I felt ready to leave my other job, and went down to just 2 days a week in private practice.
After my second child was born I decided to go back only one day a week. This is quite a luxury, I know- it works because my husband has Mondays off, so we don't have to worry about childcare. I sublet an office space for that one day. My son is 11 months old and I've been gradually adding in session times. I now schedule clients from 8 AM- 5PM. It is a CRAZY LONG day (I can usually count on one or two no shows, but thats it). But, it doesn't make sense to have the business expenses of rent, etc. and not maximize my earnings.

It works for now- I enjoy keeping my foot in the door, and I love having something to do outside of the home that has nothing to do with my kids. It feels like it challenges me intellectually in a way that SAH just doesn't. I love being able to spend most of my time with my kids, and my husband has a pretty demanding job, so its nice for me to be able to take on most of the household responsibilities.
We are planning to have a third child (and maybe a fourth), and I think when that kid is born I will probably leave my private practice until our youngest is in preschool. This feels scary to me in terms of losing my mind, losing professional contacts, and not having a break- but I also think it will be the right call for our family.
We try to use my income to help pay down our massive student loan debt, but it doesn't always work.

So- its been a dance. My husband is very appreciative and supportive and has always encouraged me to make the decision, while letting me know that what I do when I SAH makes his life and job easier. I do love SAH but its been an adjustment. Working part time is awesome, but I did find that three days felt like it took over my life (I feel like an asshole saying that, because I know its only three days- but I have an emotionally taxing job and I found myself thinking about it all the time when I was working that much). As a SAH I am pretty organized and keep a tidy house and maintain a daily rhythm for my kids. I'm a bit of an overachiever professionally and it was an adjustment to go from receiving external validation through work and clients to getting tiny kernels from my kids and husband, but mostly having to grow that confidence internally. I do have to check in with myself regularly because sometimes I start thinking about expanding my private practice (starting groups, adding in some evenings, maybe doing some consulting...) and I get professional offers sometimes- I have to keep turning that "upward drive" part of myself off. I love being home with my little kids, and I really want to relish in it.

So. That was rambly, but its an ongoing process, I guess.