I work from home. Or the road. Really wherever. I was fortunate to find a 100% remote job 10+ years ago. We had to move states for my husband's job and I thought I would be amazing at stay-at-home mom-ing so I gleefully quit a job I really loved. We moved. The oldest started kindergarten, I was at home with the then 3-year-old. Turns out I am not very good at it, and it kind of sucks to be a stay-at-home mom when money is somewhat tight and you're kind of cheap. There are only so many trips you can take to the park/playground when it's 110 degrees outside, you don't know anyone, and there are only so many Handy Manny episodes you can listen to. I also fell into the 'eh, I'll take care of it tomorrow' trap and our house was perpetually messy. And I'm a neat freak.
Side note: I am not necessarily a clean freak. I like things clean, but I really like things tidy; I hate clutter. But I don't care if you can eat off my floors.
Things were neither clean nor tidy.
I found a job identical to what I was doing before but fully remote, interviewed, got the job. Found nanny to come to the house to help out with the 3-year-old, and got to work.
There were some bumps in the road with that nanny. She often had to bring her own kiddo, a little girl about the same age as our little guy, so I had to hide out in a bedroom to work. One day she called in to tell me she couldn't make it because she broke her husband's, ahem, baby maker, during a particularly active round of... relations. How do you respond to that? I certainly had to Google to see if it was even possible (it seems to be) and delicately ask if he was "doing better" later on. She was out for a couple of days. Handy Manny, Legos, and Tonka trucks to the rescue.
Ten + years on, there have been ups and downs, more moves, more childcare options, and one more kid. Fortunately no more broken... never mind. The husband's job has changed a number of times, while mine stayed steady. His included a stint where he traveled around the country 3-5 days/week meaning lots of fun airline miles and hotel points but also lots of time apart. We were able to take some pretty cool trips, or I'd tag along on a work trip for him, working from a hotel during the day. It also allowed us to take the RV around the country a bit where we both worked from the road. He is now onto another position and we are traveling less, but he's home more. Life has its phases.
I always pray for good Wifi at the RV park, and state parks are out because they're usually too remote or service isn't great, but it's been a pretty fun road. We now have a high schooler, one heading off to college, and an elementary school aged kiddo, so the weekends/vacations aren't as free as they once were, and the trips shorter and closer to home. But we have found some fantastic spots and are always on the lookout. I look forward to sharing those, and learning about all the fun places people recommend.
Camp Socially!
My remote office in Biloxi, MS during the pandemic.
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