Working Mom of the Week - Janine Nickel (Scarymom)

This week I have a brand new button courtesy of Kim at JA Blog Graphics. Thanks, Kim!!!

This week's featured mom is Janine Nickel otherwise known as Scarymom on her blog. She is a part time working mom. ScaryMom is the mother of 5 year old twin girls that she fondly refers to as the Twofer at her blog: Twofer The Price of One. Thanks to Janine for participating in Working Mom of the Week.

If you would like to be featured as my working mom of the week, please contact me.


I have twin girls and went back to work part time (2 days a week) when they were 5 months old. I was lucky enough to find a wonderful sitter who was already in my neighborhood working for another family the other 3 days of the week.

She drove to my house so I didn't have to get anyone or anything ready in the morning - just myself which was enough of a challenge. Some days it was difficult to leave my home and my children in the care of someone else. I wonder if it would've felt different to leave them at a neutral location?

There was never a question in my mind that I wanted to return to work. I knew I wasn't cut out for being a full time SAHM, on the other hand, I knew I would've gone crazy being at work full time. For me, part time was the perfect situation and I was grateful to have found a place that could accommodate me.

When the girls were three I enrolled them in a preschool that offered longer days so I no longer had to pay for a sitter and school. A friend of mine hired my sitter and took my two days which helped the girls because they could still visit with her.

Fast forward five years to today and I'm still working part time. Now that the girls are in kindergarten (5 days, 9-3) and school is FREE (sorry, I'm still so excited I find it hard to type that word in lowercase) I find myself working even more, not less, as people expected.

Reasons why I love working:
1. My paycheck supports my love of shoes and handbags.
2. I get to "dress up" on work days and accessorize (see #1).
3. Interacting with adults and talking about things other than feeding, burping and sleeping did wonders for my brain and emotional state in the early days.
4. Now the adult interaction keeps me listening to music other than Radio Disney.
5. I am a better parent the days I stay home because I have that time away.

I have found a balance with working part time and I'm grateful I've had the opportunity to keep my skills sharp, my wallet happy, and my sanity.