Working Moms & Stay-at-Home Moms: The Weight We All Carry

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I’ve been both a full-time working mom, and a stay-at-home mom. And I can tell you with certainty:

Neither is easy. Both are hard.
Just in different ways.

And no matter where you spend your hours, there never seems to be enough of them.

The Not-So-Working Mom Grind (For Now)

Right now, I’m not working as we prepare for our big move to Tennessee. For the past year and a half here in Missouri, I was juggling a job, family life, and everything in between. My husband, currently transitioning out of the military, is still working full-time as we both navigate this season of change.

When we were both working full-time, we tried to do it all:
School drop-offs. Pick-ups. Sports Practices. Sports Games. Homework. Dinner. Showers. A little quality time squeezed in where we could.

But if we’re being real?
By the time we got home, it was survival mode. Bedtime felt more like a battle than a bonding moment. And the guilt of what we couldn’t give? That was its own full-time job.

There was always something falling behind: time, energy, patience. And no matter how much we gave, it never felt like enough.

Back in the Stay-at-Home Loop

Now that I’m back at home full-time with our move right around the corner, and summer officially underway, life feels like a different kind of grind.

Sure, there’s technically more time to clean, cook, organize…
But the mental load? It somehow got heavier.

Because cleaning with kids at home? It’s like brushing your teeth while eating Oreos.

The dishes never end.
The laundry mocks me.
And the chaos? It shows up early and stays up late.

The days blur into each other having sometimes comforting, sometimes crushing. One moment you’re tackling a to-do list, and the next you’re holding a sobbing child who just broke a crayon.

And some days, even though you did so much, it still feels like you accomplished nothing.

The Low Points

I’ve felt my lowest in both seasons.

As a stay-at-home mom, the loneliness was real.
As a working mom, the overwhelm was constant.

Different roles. Same exhaustion.

We’re all trying to be everything like the glue that holds it all together. The planner. The peacekeeper. The memory-maker. The steady hand.

And it’s so much to carry.

What I Know Now

Whether you’re home all day with little ones or rushing from meeting to practice in the evenings, motherhood is hard.

And every mom deserves to be seen, supported, and celebrated.
Not compared. Not judged. Not told how it “should” be done.

Both paths are demanding.
Both come with sacrifice.
Both are valuable.
And both are enough.

FAQ: Working Moms & Stay-at-Home Moms: The Weight We All Carry

What are the main challenges of being a working mom?
Working moms often face the stress of balancing career demands with parenting responsibilities, leading to feelings of overwhelm, guilt, and exhaustion.

What are the main challenges of being a stay-at-home mom?
Stay-at-home moms can struggle with loneliness, the mental load of managing the household, and the feeling that their hard work is invisible or undervalued.

Is one harder: working mom or stay-at-home mom life?
Both roles are hard in different ways. The challenges are unique, but both paths require strength, sacrifice, and deserve respect.