Working moms and yom tov

A woman

Tue, Apr 16 2024, 3:04 pm

Hi, I want to take a poll. I'm a mother of 2 children - a 10 month old and a 3 year old. I live in new jersey and I work every day from 9-3. I work erev yom tov and chol hamoed and I'm at work the day after yom tov. Since I'm so overwhelmed with work and yom tov prep I would like to hear if there is anyone else out there as crazy as me still working every day...
do you work? you are a mom of how many children? until when before yt do you work? do you work chol homoed? for how many hours?

Goody2shoes

Tue, Apr 16 2024, 3:19 pm

Hey!
I'm a mom to one cute 1 year old boy.
Working till Friday this week, off Chol Hamoed but back at work Isru Chag.
I work from 10-3:30, not being invited out for meals and I don't have cleaning help'
I feel you sister! Best of luck!

ETA, most of us who don't work in Jewish owned businesses have the same schedule as you, you're far from the only one.

mha3484

Tue, Apr 16 2024, 3:22 pm

I have 5 kids 3-13 and work full time. Been doing it for many years. I work 9-5 erev yomtov, chol ha moed whenever my boss feels like closing. Isru chag. I make yomtov. Its not easy but its what im used to.

Last edited by mha3484 on Tue, Apr 16 2024, 3:25 pm; edited 2 times in total

amother

Gray

Tue, Apr 16 2024, 3:23 pm

so BH my family goes away for Pesach but BH I also work (m-f 8am-4pm) and I work on The other erevs (erev RH, YK, Sukkos, Shemini atzeret etc) as well as chol hamoed. its hard but such is life .

amother

Chestnut

Tue, Apr 16 2024, 3:30 pm

I have four kids, ages 3-10. I have always worked almost every erev YT and chol hamoed, except during maternity leave. We make all our own chagim, including Pesach, and we host a bunch of extended family too.

amother

Cyclamen

Tue, Apr 16 2024, 3:32 pm

Mom of double double digits k'h (pesach only, just double digits all year round) with kids, in-law kids and grandkids.

Work 2 days a week full time and 2 days part time at a school, so I get off a week before and no work chol hamoed.

Oh and my parents come too, and I do freelance catering but I try to pace myself from rosh chodesh onwards.

But it's still easier then those pesachs when I just had little kids.

amother

Lavender

Tue, Apr 16 2024, 3:36 pm

Thanks for sharing.. I am self employed and hardly working I am so resentful how hard I work… literally just choking back tears I don’t have any big girls to help.. bh I have a lot if cleaning help but I can’t do so much physicalaly

Mayflower

Tue, Apr 16 2024, 3:39 pm

chany p wrote:

do you work? you are a mom of how many children? until when before yt do you work? do you work chol homoed? for how many hours?

I have four children (3 - 15) and I work Monday-Thursday from 9-4. Usually I only take off erev Pesach and work normally until then... this year that means that Thursday is my last day (AND isru chag is a bank holiday, which is awesome).

I never work on chol hamo'ed - some years that means working a few Fridays to make up for those days, sometimes I take unpaid leave...

I have a lot of cleaning help, and my husband helps a lot with the kids.

amother

NeonYellow

Tue, Apr 16 2024, 3:41 pm

I work 45 hours a week. Five kids ages 1 to 13.

I make pesach and host family.

I do not martyr myself. I get lots of cleaning help for pesach even though I have very little the rest of the year.

I also take off the whole yom tov and a few days before.

amother

Plum

Tue, Apr 16 2024, 3:45 pm

I work 40 hours, plus a commute. I take of the actual day of erev yt and yt. And I'm usually back to work the day after. Three kids. Hosting many people for yt as well. It's a lot.

Eta: also have to work chol hamoed, but from home.

amother

NeonGreen

Tue, Apr 16 2024, 3:56 pm

I am in awe of all of you
every single one
and of myself

another working mom

noone said it's easy
it's far far from

amother

Saddlebrown

Tue, Apr 16 2024, 4:16 pm

Mom of 5
Working up to and including erev Yom Tov, and back to work on isru chag. I don’t go into the office Chol hamoed but I work sporadically remote.
I am making the entire Pesach and hosting for part.
That said, I am very grateful that I have a Pesach kitchen and lots of cleaning help. In my earlier years when I had fewer kids and wasn’t even home all Pesach it was much harder. I’m grateful that I can give kimcha dpischa and afford Pesach easily. So yes, I am working hard but try every day to remember to be grateful.

amother

Wine

Tue, Apr 16 2024, 4:19 pm

I'm with you. I work till about 4 with commute time. Erev, chil hamoed, day after. I still have to do what SAHM do early am and eves . I sleep less and do more. It's alot. I'd rather do this than take handouts. Sometimes I wonder why I slave away why they collect coupons from every organization while sitting home.

amother

Cyclamen

Tue, Apr 16 2024, 5:11 pm

Where are the posters who have vacation, or time off before Pesach? I'm the only one, all the others work right up until Pesach and some chol hamoed as well.

amother

Hunter

Tue, Apr 16 2024, 5:13 pm

I am self-employed. I let everyone know far in advance that today is my last day. I’m going away and I’m not bringing my laptop or my work phone. Im not responding to a single email for the next two weeks. I’m really excited for this vacation Smile

Not to complain but I’m exhausted for the shopping and packing plus we have a long early morning flight ahead.

I’m in awe of those who are making pesach!

amother

Cyclamen

Tue, Apr 16 2024, 5:13 pm

amother Wine wrote:

?? Everyone who doesn't have time off before Yom tov and chol hamoed get coupons??

amother

Camellia

Tue, Apr 16 2024, 5:40 pm

Circumstances have changed, but for many years I worked full time right up to and including erev Pesach (didn't make sedarim in the earliest years, but made all the rest of YT) and for quite a long time worked chol hamoed, too. I still have the thermos bottles dh and I took to work on Chol Hamoed because there were no KLP facilities.Looking back I can't figure out how I managed. I was younger and more agile, but there are still only 24 hours in a day, and you can't make your kitchen Pesachdik two weeks before Pesach. Well, you could, but it would be horrifically expensive and everyone would be sick of Pesach food before Pesach even started.

amother

Jean

Tue, Apr 16 2024, 6:11 pm

I'm similar to you op. I have 3 kids under 5 and work 10-4. I'm also working erev and chol hamoed but bH less hours and remote. I'm home for some of yt and away for some. It's really hard. I really pushed hard at work so I wouldnt have any deadlines over yt but I should've been pushing hard at home too because now I still have to sit at my desk for those hours but my house is full of chometz. Iyh I'm taking off Thursday to get the bulk done even though everyone will be home.