As a working mother with a partner, I sometimes wonder how a single working mother manages it all. How do those women do that who are financially independent by working, but also have a family that they can take care of. Saskia is such a single working mother and she shares her story.
Hi, I'm Saskia Pentecost and I would like to tell you what my day as a single working mother normally looks like. I work as a project manager in graphic DM Marketing. Viewing projects, purchasing and supervising the entire product from A to Z. There are also visits to the machines on location and I have to go on a 'travel' to check the productions for color, quality, etc.
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My work is extremely important to me. Not only because I like doing it, but also because that's where I get my financial independence. As a single working mother, that is of course a very important item for me. I have built up a social and business network and expanded my world in all kinds of areas.
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Fortunately, my work is not only financially important, but I also really enjoy doing it. I get energy from it.
At 6.45 the alarm goes off, snooze and then get up. Then I'm going to get my little man out of bed and we'll wash, get dressed, and whatever else you do in the morning after waking up. When we're dressed, we go downstairs and Lars gets brinta. I grab a cup of coffee and turn on the TV.
Eat? Then we brush our teeth together and at 07:30 we go out to the nursery. I will take Lars away and continue my way to Amsterdam myself! My workday runs until 5:00 pm and then I race home. Just before 18.00 I pick up Lars and we go home.
At 6.15 pm we are home and I start cooking. I almost always cook fresh and sometimes we have leftovers from the freezer because there is something left over and I saved that. Then after dinner we go to play and every other day Lars takes a shower. Hop-hop, off to bed where I read to see if we can chat for a while. Of course I still have to clean up afterwards, then I have an hour to myself on the couch before I go to bed.
Of course I get tired of these days and racing from work to my child, but still I get energy from my work. It brings out the positive in me, I have nice people around me and I enjoy that. Colleagues as well as customers and suppliers.
I am free on Mondays, so I have 3 full days in a row with my child. We are really together on those days and we do a lot of fun things. On Saturdays I prefer not to make an appointment, we lie together nicely relaxed half the morning in bed with food, drinks, TV and for me the telephone. On Sundays I often try to swim with Lars, whether we go to friends, family or do something fun together. And Monday is a relaxing day. We do a little shopping and I plan the new week. My ex comes by once every 2 weeks on Monday and that was it. And very occasionally when I have a party, Lars sleeps with my parents or brother and then I go wild 😉 .
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During the week we have a fixed ritual, always the same and at the same times, so that I can now ensure that we are ready in a short time. This works perfectly for us!
Sometimes I feel guilty because I work 4 days and have less time during the week. But on the other hand I am very proud of myself. On how I manage it at home alone financially and on the fixed basis that I have been able to set up for my child with enough love and attention.
No, nothing at the moment. I'm happy with how we're doing. Sometimes I would like to have a man with whom you can share things in all kinds of areas, but I am also very happy with Lars alone! I therefore feel no jealousy at all towards other mothers who may do things differently.
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