Am I a better mum now that I am working?

As you know I have recently returned to work full time. I am three weeks in and loving it. Everything that I worried about before I went back hasn’t happened…Yet! I am sure it is coming but for the mean time I am enjoying the honeymoon period. I was at a 4 year old party today and I was chatting to my friends (all mums at my childcare centre). I was talking about how I was enjoying work and that I actually feel my ability to parent has improved also. The time I spend with my children is most definitely less in quantity but the quality is so much more….so maybe the old saying of ‘less is more’ is true in this case. I have heard celebrity mums espouse the line of …’working makes me a better mum’ and I would be there thinking yeah I am sure I could be a fabulous mum too if I had the cleaner, the nanny, the personal trainer and chef. As I have none of those services….seriously looking for a cleaner though….it is on the list of things to do…right after I have celebrated my son’s first birthday, organized his thank you cards (yes from his birth….seriously a bad mum!!!), organized my daughter’s fourth birthday party – as I am currently outsourcing the majority of my parenting I am most definitely outsourcing the party! But none the less I still have to call, book, organize invites, write invites and then send invites…please keep in mind I haven’t done my son’s thank you cards yet!!!!! But strangely I am feeling somewhat in control……when I returned to full time work after 18 months of maternity leave with my daughter there is no way I would even consider having a party for her birthday….so what is different this time? I am not sure, other than I am really enjoying my job, enjoying my time with my two beautiful bubbas, having a supportive husband, having a somewhat balanced life and a handy supply of Lovan and red wine!!! Seriously though, I believe that I am a happier person right at this moment. I actually enjoy getting up before the family to have my limited me time – well it is me, my coffee and Karl and Lisa (Today Show – Channel 9) and then I get myself ready for work and start what is a manic day until I crawl into bed 15 hours later…but you know – I wouldn’t want it any other way…well for the time being!