Work leading up to Halloween

My title this week is really more of a question than a statement of what I've been doing. Really - how do full-time working outside of the house mothers really do it? Seriously, I want to know!! How in the world do you do all the things you normally do and then add on either shopping for or making Halloween costumes, treats for school parties, Halloween plays, etc!! I feel completely overloaded...did I remember to get the green hair paint for the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle costume? What about the tights the fairy needs to have? And really, does it make THAT much difference when it will all be covered with raincoats and boots?

Thank God I've subscribed to the vision of balance in work and home life, or else I'd be crying as I alter a Naruto costume at midnight tonight after having worked all day and gone to soccer practice and made dinner and worked on homework and tucked kids into bed and read a story. As it is, I'm off tomorrow and can do those things and still get to the performance on time with my treats. That should be what every mother who works outside of the home can say. I don't think many of them do - they are too stressed out, tired, overworked, under appreciated, guilty and pissed off.

I really hope that WMR can start to change that scenario. Job-share or work part time, have some time for yourself, give your family the attention it needs, nurture your own dreams. It's about time, isn't it?

Happy Halloween and remember those strong women that came before us on the Day of the Dead!