Exciting news: I got a part-time job!

But let’s back up a bit.

For the past almost 8 months, I have loved staying home with Baby Markers. The entire time, I’ve looked at this arrangement as a privilege – the fact that I can be the one to get her up from her naps, take her to music class, make new foods for her to try and comfort her when she falls down. While the days are long and sometimes tedious, I truly love our time together.

With that being said, I wasn’t 100% satisfied on a few levels. Financially, I felt like we needed a bit more cushion and more wiggle room in our monthly budget. And personally, I needed an outlet. I wanted to feel like myself again.

As a one income household, we were meeting ends financially – but not saving as much as we’d like. We hope to buy a home in the near future and want to have a sizable amount saved for a down payment. Additionally, we have a great working budget but it leaves out a lot of the “fun” things we used to do when we both worked, like dinners out, concerts and sporting events.

Personally, I needed something for myself — a way to feel successful and use my brain again. I began looking for open positions in my field (nonprofit management) and developed some criteria for myself. My job wishlist was a position that would be flexible, 15-20 hours a week with the opportunity to work from home and an hourly rate comparable to what I was making when I left. I also wanted to work for an organization I could feel passionate about, since I would likely be fundraising and writing persuasively.

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I must mention that my decision to find work was made easier by the fact that both my mom and Mr. Marker’s mom are available to provide childcare during the week – for which we are eternally grateful! We are incredibly lucky to have a safe, reliable and free (!!!) option for her that will allow me to make some extra cash for our family.

After a week of searching, a position popped up and I recognized the hiring manager’s name from my hometown. I sent her a quick email and things moved quickly from there… after two interviews in less than a week, I was hired! Miraculously, this job fit all of my requirements: part-time, 20 hours per week, work from home capabilities and a comparable salary. All this at an nonprofit where I truly identify with the mission.

I just finished my first week, and I must say the organization required to keep everything afloat is exhausting! I had to stay on top of the groceries, meal planning, errands, laundry and cleaning during my two days off so that I could work and spend quality time with Baby M and Mr. Markers on the other three days. I implemented the use of a few new apps and our shared google calendar to stay on track. I’ll share soon what works best for us!


It was hard to say goodbye to this face on my first day!

I always say that no matter how you tackle motherhood, it’s really really hard. SAHM, WAHM, WOHM, part-time WOHM… each approach has its difficulties and challenges but also its own set of rewards. I have good feelings that this new arrangement will give me time to commit to Baby M and time to commit to myself, all while earning an extra penny for our family. I already feel more like a new person – or should I say an old person… the old me.

Are you happy with your current work arrangements in your family? What would you change?