A Secret to Success as a Working Mom: Turn Burn Out Into Bliss and Embrace Joy

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Last weekend my youngest was committed to going to the "Water Steps" a man-made water fall in Pittsburgh by the rivers. (Fun Fact: Three rivers converge in Pittsburgh--The Ohio River, The Monongahela River, and the Allegheny River.)  He kept asking. I knew he was serious when he said, "If you won't take me, I'll ask  daddy!" Given that it was highly unlikely that would happen on an unscheduled day, I relented. So, we went. It wasn’t planned in the way most things in my life are. No calendar block. No checklist. No “productive” purpose attached. And, so in some respects it was uncomfortable. And yet, it seemed necessary. It was the idea of my 8-year-old—offered with the kind of urgency only children possess when something is profoundly important to them.
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A Working Mom Rocking Heatwave Hair Like a Boss!

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Making the best of a heatwave (#naturalhair) 

There is a heat wave surging around the country. So, it is a fair guess that it is hot and humid  ☀️ in your world too.  In Pittsburgh, each day this past week seemed hotter than the last. And, we don't have air conditioning at our house, which has complicated hair care. Usually, I am all about effort yielding results.  I blow dry. I curl. I make an effort. 

This week was different though. 


I completely gave up on manipulating my hair. As you know, I have three kids. What you may not know is that this summer, they have been attending programs in three different places. As I mentioned in a prior post, our daughter had a less than stellar academic year. (To read that post, click here.) And because I am me, I found an enrichment program to assist her in discovering her love of learning. However, enrichment comes at a price. So, the rising kindergarterner is attending the less expensive "fun" camp that they've attended in prior years. And the baby is at his daycare. Transporting these children takes 1.5 hours in the morning. And although I don't take them all every morning, I do have to get them all ready and make their lunches. So, the last thing I need is a hair routine that takes more time. 

I am a working mom and I got a whole lot going on. So, hair do what you want, dammit!!! 

Well, apparently my decision showed. A colleague said, "Wow! You look so 'relaxed'" Translation: "Clearly you're letting it all hang out today!" Initially, I was self conscious. I could be misinterpreting his tone, but the shock in his tone suggested judgment to me. In all honesty though, his comments just reflected my own insecurity. As the day progressed, by hair just kept getting bigger. That was not my plan, but it was my reality.

In a word, the hair I returned to the house with is not the hair I left the house with.

Trust me. This is not a post seeking, "Girl just love yourself." comments. I am just expressing the real struggle that comes with living through a summer heatwave as a professional of color. The struggle is real, very much a part of the experience and it is not a fabrication. 

Don't get me wrong, I love summer, but I'd love it more at the beach.  I need to figure out how to get more beach time in my life. 

#GOALS

What's your summer fashion struggle?!

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