The Truth About Working From Home as a Mom (And Why I Still Love It Anyway)

Every time someone tells me I’m so lucky to work from home, I laugh.

Not because they’re wrong …I am lucky. But usually, when they say it, I’m currently on a client call hiding in my room while my preschooler yells something about snacks from the other side of the door.

It’s not glamorous. It’s sure as hell not peaceful. And it’s definitely not the Pinterest version of “work-from-home life” that you see in the aesthetic beige reels.

But even in between re-washing the same load of laundry every day, I wouldn’t trade it for anything.

The Dream Everyone Sells You

The “work-from-home dream” looks perfect on the outside.

You see the slow mornings, cozy coffee, and the caption that says “so grateful to be home with my kids.”

And yeah… that part is real. But what you don’t see is the 3 a.m. work sessions. The late-night laptop glow while everyone else is asleep. The exhaustion that comes from trying to be “grateful” and “present” and “productive” all at the same time.

I used to wake up at 3 a.m. to get a head start before my son was awake: so I could “earn” my time with him later in the day. Everyone said, “You’re living the dream!”

And technically, I was.

But the dream version of working from home came with sleepless nights, cold coffee, and the pressure to be everything. The attentive mom, the thriving business owner, the woman who has it all together.

And that version of the dream? It didn’t feel like freedom.

The Guilt That Comes With It

Let’s be honest: the mom guilt hits different when your work and home are the same place.

When I worked corporate, I missed moments. I worked 50-60 hour weeks, was a top district, but mom-shamed by our daycare when the first day back to work they called me saying “why hadn’t I checked in.”

Now that I work from home, I worry I’m still missing them… even though I’m here.

There’s guilt when I’m working and my kid wants to play.
Guilt when I’m playing and I know I have an email due.
And guilt when I see another mom online making it all look easy, when I know my house looks like a toy explosion and I’m running on fumes.

But here’s the truth I’ve learned over time: It’s not about “balance.” It’s about rhythm.

Some days I’m in mom mode 90% of the time. Other days, I’m buried in emails and projects. And somehow, it all still evens out.

I don’t always get it right - but that’s okay. The freedom is worth the figuring out.

I’ve learned to stop chasing the “perfect” dream version and start appreciating the real one - because even on the hardest days, this version still gives me something corporate never could: choice.

And remember, this is your first-time living life too. You’re not going to do it perfect the first time.

The Gratitude That Keeps Me Going

For every chaotic day, there’s a moment that makes it worth it.

It’s picking my kid up from preschool and realizing I don’t have to ask permission to take the afternoon off. It’s getting to say “yes” to spontaneous park days. It’s being the one who’s there — even when I’m tired, messy, and running on caffeine and goldfish crackers.

And it’s also building something mine — my business, my blog, my space online — while showing my kid that moms can do big things, even with little ones underfoot.

Working from home is NOT easy. It’s loud. It’s messy. It’s unpredictable.

My Takeaway

If you’re in this season too - trying to juggle work calls and playdough - you’re doing amazing.

The dream version of working from home isn’t wrong; it’s just incomplete. It’s not soft mornings and endless balance… it’s messy, hard-earned flexibility.

And that’s what makes it worth it.

Because this version: the one that comes with cold coffee, 3 a.m. emails, and a pile of toys at your feet? Is still your dream.

It’s not perfect. It’s yours. And that’s the part that matters.