Welcome to Working Mom Life
I’m Janna. My colleagues call me Janna Mama (or Mama Janna, or both). I’m a mom and a physical therapist. I’m married to a husband who also works full-time and we share a highly energetic toddler boy who literally runs circles around us (seriously, how do they have so much energy?). Most days, I’m just doing my best to maintain some kind of balance amidst the chaos. Some days I fall short, but who doesn’t? Honestly, we’re all just trying to keep it together.
The truth is that working moms often don’t get enough support – from society, from our workplaces, even sometimes from our own households. I wrote this blog to help other working moms like myself who are just doing our best to be great.
I’m not perfect, but I’m honestly not trying to be. I’m doing my best – we all are – and that’s enough. I’m here to share the experiences, lessons learned, extensive late-night research, things I wish I knew, and good-enough strategies of a working mom with a toddler who is constantly juggling between the needs of work, self, and motherhood. Whether you’re looking for encouragement, validation, a new perspective, or just to know that you’re not alone in the struggle, welcome.
Latest Posts
- How soon is too soon? When and how to start searching for daycares
Congratulations, mama! You’re doing the hard work of nurturing, feeding, and housing a brand new addition to your family and to the world. Right now, you might be basking in the new mama… Read more: How soon is too soon? When and how to start searching for daycares - Choosing a daycare: why quality matters so much
For many working moms, especially those who work outside the home, sending our kids to daycare is the norm. But with so many childcare options available, how we do choose the right one?… Read more: Choosing a daycare: why quality matters so much - Home-based versus center-based daycare: a pros and cons comparison
Finding the right daycare for our children can be a daunting experience. We want to make sure we’re choosing the best setting for our kids and our families. After all, there’s a lot… Read more: Home-based versus center-based daycare: a pros and cons comparison - 12 easy DIY halloween costumes for toddlers
Every year, I look forward to dressing up my little one for Halloween. I can’t be the only one who gets unreasonably excited about this, right? Toddlers are already adorable enough; put them… Read more: 12 easy DIY halloween costumes for toddlers - 8 books to help our kids transition to daycare or preschool
As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases on paid links in this post. Transitioning our kids from home to daycare or preschool for the first time is an understandably emotional experience… Read more: 8 books to help our kids transition to daycare or preschool - 7 things that helped make the transition from home to daycare easier
I remember the pit I felt in my stomach the first day I dropped my son off at daycare and went back to work. It felt like I had cut my right arm… Read more: 7 things that helped make the transition from home to daycare easier - The average cost of childcare in each state, from most to least expensive
Daycare costs have been kicking my butt lately. With everyday costs rising while our salaries stay pretty much the same, it’s really been hard. My paycheck might as well skip the direct deposit… Read more: The average cost of childcare in each state, from most to least expensive - Daycare prep: Everything I packed to get my toddler ready for daycare
As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases on paid links in this post. When the time comes for us to send our kids to daycare, there may be a thousand questions… Read more: Daycare prep: Everything I packed to get my toddler ready for daycare - 11 habits that help me stay on top of everything as a busy working mom
As a working mom, the number one thing I never seem to have enough of is time. In between the daycare pick-ups and drop-offs, the morning and evening routines, the household chores –… Read more: 11 habits that help me stay on top of everything as a busy working mom