To Work Outside the Home or Not....

...that is the question. It's a tough situation all mothers who work outside the home face.

We knew that things would be pretty tight if I had to quit work to stay home with the girls. We knew that pretty much, the only way we would survive is if our old house sold. It hasn't.

I had hoped to be able to stay home with the girls until Abbie was at least a year old, thinking that in that time, she would have received the most benefits from her Birth to Three services. I mean, nearly all the "important" learning happens within the first year (walking, talking, self-feeding, etc.).

Reality is setting in, and we must face the facts. I was thinking of getting my teaching certificate so that I could have the same schedule the girls will have once they begin school. Add to that, that there is a teacher shortage that keeps getting worse in the state I live, and it seems like a logical career jump. Even if it did mean going back to pick up a few classes, having the same schedule as the kids would be a great help.

The thing is, I don't know if I would like teaching. What I really love is PR, and there is a job opening posted in the paper. I think I would LOVE this job. There's a part of me screaming to apply and the other part hesitates because we really don't know what the new ortho doctors are going to suggest when we see them in May. They might suggest surgery sooner than later and it's hard to plan long-term with so many variables.

I just don't know what is best for my family. The financial stability of me having a job outside the home bringing in more income, or me being home with Abbie to ensure that she gets everything she needs, emotionally, physically, developmentally and otherwise.

Can I clone myself so that I could do both?