A: Life for a working mother is a constant balance. Throw in school-work and you now have three full-time jobs. Can you play all these roles without making sacrifices? No. What you can realize, is that you should not be expected to. Be realistic about your goals. Do not expect to be able to spend the same amount of time with your child as someone who does not work out of the home. Instead, concentrate on making the most out of the time you have. Young children need to know what to expect each day. In today's world, for good or for bad, most children can not expect to have Mommy all to themselves each day. Try to organize your schedule so that your daughter knows when you will be home and what special time you will have for her each day. A half an hour a day of quality time can make all the difference. If you have more time - great. If not, know you are doing your best.

The same attitude can be applied to school-work. You may not be able to put in as much study time as someone with less obligations. Of course, you are in school to succeed, but just do your best and don't expect to be first in the class.

The key is not to try and do everything perfectly. That is impossible. Instead, do your best and try to remember that your life is richer and more rewarding because of all the various roles you play.

Best Wishes and let me know if I can help with anything else.

Esther Boylan Wolfson
Director, Early Childhood Development Center