Mom Boss

There are plenty of reasons that I can think of that a woman would want to be a “stay at home mom” and why society views this as the “right way” to raise your children. There are plenty more reasons that I can list why one would choose not to. My 2 cents on that and my life experiences. I hope that it will help to ease the guilt of the working mom.

When I started my “small” business London’s salon as a single mom it was with the goal to empower single moms to be able to live a life of control of their flexibility and finances so they could give their babies the life of a “2 parent home.” In the past 4 years my focus has changed a lot. I am now the mom of two boys and a baby girl and am running what my tax bracket says is a “big business” with 18 wonderful ladies working at London’s for themselves. I  often “mom” them to try to help them become as successful in their job and in their personal endeavors as possible. 13 years has taught me a lot and I love sharing my victories and mistakes with them. A few of them are mom-preneurs and are just trying to make a way for their little ones at home.
What does being a mom-preneur entail? Well let me just spell it out for you…a life that I feel gets a lot of flack because I am away from my family more than society thinks I should be or more than than I “have” to be.

11 p.m. is babies first feeding. We do a diaper change, a little chatting and a whole lot of coaxing her back to sleep….  1:30am. is the second time she wakes, daddy makes a bottle while I change her, she gobbles her bottle and it’s back to sleep we go until 4am and then 6am. Sometimes Cash wakes up a few times too and needs daddy to snuggle him back to sleep. 7:30am is when I or Eric get big bro up, make the boys breakfast while London makes his lunch and I remind him over and over to remember said lunch, brush his teeth and grab his coat.  I put the finishing touches on my hair and makeup and kiss my babies and handsome husband goodbye and out the door on a dead run we go! Yes, you heard right. I leave the 2 year old, 4 month old and daddy at home and I go to work! (GASP!) Somedays he is home all day and somedays my mom or grandma take the baby. We have a village, it is wonderful!

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See ya in 13 hours!

8:30 London’s on the bus to start his school day and I’m off to the salon named after my  boy who motivated and still motivates me to move mountains…. I grab my daily fuel, an iced americano with sugar-free white chocolate AND a few extras for the ladies and I get my butt to work!

My average work day consists of about 6-8 clients that sit in my chair and I get to make them feel beautiful, look beautiful, counsel them, cry and laugh with them and send them on their way only to wait 6 weeks for their return and updates on their lives. We are friends. 99% of the people who sit in my chair and I spend my day with are people I am now friends with. That’s awesome!

Between clients I sit in the back room and laugh my ass off at the hilarious mom-preneurs and entrepreneurs that I get to do life with and also counsel on occasion. Usually about their online dating ,their long over do break ups, or crazy clients.  We tell stories about last night and we die laughing….. I make a phone call home to check in, only to find that they are fine…. Of course they are. Men can take care of kids too. A little touch up on my lipstick and hit the ground running again!

At the end of my usually 12 hour day I clean up my tornado of a mess, shoot Eric an “On my way!” text and head home….. On an average night I walk into a home with dinner on the table and wine in my glass, London has been showered, his homework is finished, and he is trying to tell me about his day. Cash is rudely interrupting his brother because he wants a “snacky” and is dancing around in his inside out and backwards underpants.  I eat my  dinner while holding my precious baby and we all chat about how our days were. Home just in time to spend a bit with the boys before it’s their bed time. Though our time at night is short, I tuck them in guiltless because dad has entertained them, played with them and they are happy.

After the boys are in bed, daddy and I tend to our littlest and get her off to her very temporary first stretch of slumber. We then watch tv, drink wine, eat dark chocolate or Brie and crackers. Then begins our bedtime routine of getting bottles ready before crashing out. Monday through Wednesday looks like this for me and sometimes Friday/Saturday too.

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30 minute “date night” every night

On the days that I am home,Eric goes and does his manager business at the salon….IT IS WONDERFUL! He takes care of all the “crap” and I get to just do hair!

 At home with the kids I try to prioritize and enjoy the moments and let the laundry, dishes and sometimes showering wait. This is very hard for me. If you know me you know I always have a “project” or “errand”. I am in a definite work in progress in this department. However I have found a special place for poop, puke, and chasing a toddler making sure his sister isn’t at the bottom of the stuffed toy dog pile.
I am a mom,a business owner, a spouse and the “bread-winner” because that’s the life I and my spouse have chosen. Not because I have to. I want to. I want to do this every day. I  love what I am doing. It is my calling. It is my passion. My kids are not missing out on anything. They have a wonderful village that help to raise them.  I believe I am molding them to be leaders and hard workers as well. This is not a justification of being a working mom. It’s just a bit of insight. It is 2016, women can work outside of the home and in my opinion should! It’s very rewarding and super satisfying!
My life is a beautiful mess and I wouldn’t change it for anything. I hope this gives other mom-preneurs and working moms a bit of mojo to keep doing what you’re doing! It will pay off! Your kids are watching and taking note! You go momma!

♥Keila Nicole♥

 

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