We’re constantly torn between home & work, right?

Often, it’s a concrete battle with our choices:

Do I go to my child’s school volcano panorama exhibit and miss an important work meeting?

Do I try & reschedule the work meeting, because showing the lava off is really important to my child?

Do I rationalize with my child – “Mommy has to work today, I love you and I am proud of your volcano. I asked another mommy to send me a picture and can’t wait to hear how it went” (and then make a homemade chocolate lava cake that night because the guilt erupts). 

At times, it’s simply straightforward. You child is sick and you know you must drop it all. We’ve all faced those superwoman “mommy mode” and do our best.

Recently, I had one that froze me. I could not decide what to do. Something inside me made me cry. I’m a tough cookie on the outside wearing my “professional hat”. I welled up in tears at a meeting (which was quite obvious) when a text popped up with my on my “kids emergency only” distinctive iPhone cell beep.

“L lost his tooth. He's OK.” 

My babysitter was there, not me. I’d been there for every tooth loss with my girls (probably because I’d give a little twistie & pull at the end stages).  

This was followed by an email from my daughter (cut & paste because the typing is so cute).

hi mommy,

L lost his tooth!!hes jumping around so excited for you to see!!!!!i have got the tooth right in my hands!!!you must be so excited also for him!!also he is saying im gonna be so good for the tooth fairy and go right to sleep when its bedtiime so i can get a good present!!!you shoud probably go looking for a PRESENT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!send an email to daddy also!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!LOVE,

O!!! xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxocxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxTOOTH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It was 4:00. This meeting lasted until 5:00. I’d been at work since 7:45 am. I had a really special charity event for KIDS DONATIONS (click & learn more – wow!) in NYC that started at 6:00. This was the one day during the entire month I’d have to be gone for so long.

1.     Do I convince myself “It’s a tooth. Daddy can be the tooth fairy. I’ll call him & he’ll be fine”.

2.     Do I go late to the event (really did not want to do that).

      Do I gracefully leave the meeting, after they saw me cry, and stop home. 

I left the meeting, stopped at the donut shop, was home by 4:36, sat & took first tooth videos & pictures, ate munchkins and went through baseball cards and snuggled. It was 4:57.

I did the phone booth Superwoman clothes change in 3 minutes & was safely driving to the event & arrived pretty much on time.  My husband played tooth fairy (and did a great job).

And, today, my son said 

“Momma, I love what the tooth fairy left. But I loved having the donuts with you even more.”

Our choices are tough, and we’re not always so lucky to be in a position to make the right one.

What are some examples of these “non-emergency heartstring” choices you’ve had to make?  How did you handle them?  We’d love to know!