Thursday, February 27, 2014

Work Travels and the Stressed SMC

I've handled work and Sidekick pretty well since I went back to work 17 months ago, but that is all coming to a screeching halt come March 6th!  I have several overnight trips for work and several late afternoon sales presentations that won't be done in time to pick up Sidekick from school.  (My territory has changed, so these things weren't an issue last year.)  This is when being a SMC with no family in the same state can make a calm SMC a worrying, stressed SMC!  I am literally piecing people together to stay over night with Sidekick, let Sidekick stay overnight with them, have someone pick up Sidekick from school and take him to their home until I can pick him up before he goes to sleep, and pick up Sidekick from school and take him back to my home until I get home.  Oh, and how can I forgot about Dog?  I have to get her covered as well. I also need to get easy meals made ahead of time for Sidekick for the people taking care of him at my home. It would be one thing if they were just babysitting, but all of these people are driving my precious little boy to and from school, and that makes me a nervous wreck!  

I'd be lying if I said that I don't freak out daily about the logistics of all of this.  I am hoping my Village comes through for me.  I have never had to rely on my Village up until now.  It's going to cost me quite a lot of money to get Sidekick taken care of, but it's worth having him in such good hands.  Sidekick is a very laid back kid, so I think he'll be just fine through all of this and will roll with the punches, but his Momma won't be.  I've been away from him overnight two times before and it was only for one night both times, and my mom took care of him.  It's not that I don't want to be away from him.  I'm totally fine with that.  It's that I have so many different people covering him in March and he is being tossed around so much.  This time I'll be overnight for more than one night in a row.  For one of those trips he'll be at my friends' house and the other trip his teacher is taking care of him at my home.  There's something strange about someone else (who I really don't know outside of school) living in my home, driving my child, and keeping him alive (haha).  But, it's what I have to do, so I'm just going to have to suck it up!

The good news is that after my crazy month, I will be heading to Cabo the first part of April because I won a trip for being one of the top sales reps in my company.  My best friend who moved out of state is going with me and my mom will be taking care of Sidekick.  While I'll miss him dearly, I am less worried about my mom taking care of him than anyone else.  Plus, she can juggle Dog (living in a condo makes having Dog a little more challenging).  So... I just need to get through March and then I'll be enjoying four days on the beach drinking a lot of margaritas.  

And by the way, it's months like March that really deter me from thinking about having #2.  It's a lot more to ask someone to watch two kids for overnights or pick them up from school than it is just one. Just the car seat situation alone for Sidekick is crazy (thankfully I have two because I have a personal car and a company car), let alone for two kids!  After March, I might be back on the "Wanting Baby #2 Bandwagon" again.  : )

So... I need to breathe.  It'll all work out, I know it will, but how could I not be worried being away from my little guy for so many nights?  <sigh>

1 comment:

  1. I. so. know. what you are going through. Traveling is the most stressful. And also those meetings that end at just the wrong time! The one upside is that sidekick will probably be a really adjustable kid. I don't know what the upside is for mom, but that's the upside for sidekick. :) How exciting, Cabo! (jealous)

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