A working mother sacrifices a normal sleep schedule to wake up at 5:00 AM to get ready for her 10 hour workday. She drives 80 miles each way to drop off her son at daycare before work. Though she misses out on time with her children, she works to provide for her family. During her lunch break she walks with a friend for stress relief. After work at 4:45 PM, she arrives home to chaos at 6:45 PM and spends the evening caring for her children until finally going to bed around 1:00 AM, never getting enough sleep.

1. A Day in the Life of a
Working Mother.

2. 5:00 A.M.
Getting
ready to
go to
work for
10 hours.
“The only drive I have to get up that early is the
fact that I have to do my part to provide for our
family. Sometimes that is my only drive to roll out
of bed after only having 4 hours at the most of
sleep!”

3. “Oh how I wish I could let
him sleep longer.”
5:30 A.M.
She dresses and
awakens the boy for
daycare.

4. 6:00 A.M.
Driving the 80
miles to Salt lake
every morning.
”The car naturally puts me to sleep and I’m
so exhausted anyway….it is a fight to stay
awake! A lot of times I’m thinking about
what needs to get done for the day, or I’m
pondering the topic they are talking about
on the radio… Sometimes I get to work and
have no idea how I got there!!! I feel like
I’m on auto pilot when I’m driving.”

5. Dropping off
her boy at
daycare
before
heading for
work.
“I hate the fact that someone else gets to see his quirky little ways
during the day……while I miss out!! But I do have to say that I’m so
grateful for such a wonderful place to entrust the care of my child. It
used to be worse when I took him elsewhere. I trust the Intermountain
Child Development center and know that even though there is no way
they love him like I do, they love him and teach and do what is best for
him.”

6. 7:00 A.M.
I watch as she begins
her work and am
surprised that she can
sit in this little
cubicle almost every
day of her life, talk
about sacrifice.
“There are so many wishes
I have….but if I had to boil
it down to one, I would
wish that I could have
enough money so that I
could be a stay at home
mom with my children and
spend more time enjoying
the little things instead of
working from sun up to
sun down!”

7. “My friend Sheryl and I call our
morning walks our therapy
session! It is a means to get away
from the computer and get out and
just move and vent! It is a very
needed valued release for the day! It
also is a good way to get in exercise
that I would otherwise not be
getting!”
10:00 A.M.
The daily walk.

8. “Working gives me a sense of accomplishment, money to spend without feeling guilty of not “earning” it, an outlet
to interact with other adults, the opportunity to grow and learn new things every day, keeping up on the
technology. There are cons though……Missing out on a lot of your children’s “firsts”, activities, joys and school
functions, spending 2 hours a day driving to and from work, having to juggle how to get your kids from point a-z,
not having time to keep the house clean and organized, eating dinner at 9:00 p.m. always rushing in life…not
being able to “enjoy the little things.’”

9. 4:45 P.M.
The “paid” work day is
almost over for her,
I’m amazed at how
selfless this woman is.
I never realized how
much she sacrificed for
me and my family, only
someone who loves with
all their heart could
do something like this
all day long.

10. 6:45 P.M.
She arrives home to
chaos.
“I try to teach respect. I want my children to respect everyone
even if they don’t agree with them. I also want them to learn
kindness and self control. I’ve noticed that it is human nature to
treat outside people better than our family members. I don’t want
them to think that is ok. If I find myself not showing a good
example, I try to take time out to point out that even mommies
make mistakes and that we all need to ask forgiveness and also
grant forgiveness. This is easier said than done a lot of times….but
the teaching moments when they come around are wonderful! We
can all learn from our mistakes! I always want them to
realize that just because I have to punish them doesn’t
mean that I love them any less. I always want my kids to
know I have their best interest in my mind always, and even
when they disappoint me, I love them unconditionally!”

11. 8:00 P.M.
After dinner is through she
does the dishes, she never
stops going.
“We all love our children just the
same, and we really could teach
each other and help each other a lot
if we wouldn’t “stereotype” each
other! Even though I would love to
be able to stay home with my kids, I
can’t and that is ok….doesn’t make
me a bad mom or love my kids
any less than they do…”

13. 9:30 P.M.
Getting the
kids ready
for bed.
“Night time is the
only time I really
get to see my
kiddies!!”

14. Trying to help her children get a better nights sleep
she rubs some natural oils on their feet every night.

15. “I love you to the moon and back!”

16. 1:00 A.M. She finally goes to bed. Never getting enough sleep.