Life with a two-year-old is a constant balancing act. Between managing a household, leading a collections team at work, and being a wife, every day is carefully planned yet always unpredictable. My husband and I both have demanding jobs—he leads his own team, and I manage mine. At the same time, we are raising a little one who is full of energy, curiosity, and joy. Finding balance isn’t about doing everything perfectly but about working together, being flexible, and embracing the chaos that comes with this stage of life.
Our mornings start with an alarm, not with our toddler waking us up. Once breakfast is ready, we gently wake her, helping her start the day in a good mood. My husband is in charge of bringing her to Kita, but sometimes, I join them to check in and see how things are going. She’s at Kita for 7 hours, giving both of us time to focus on work.
Since we have a hybrid work model, our routine changes depending on the day. When my husband works from the office, I pick her up. On the days he’s working from home, he handles pick-up while I finish work. Once she’s home, she plays in the living room while we wrap up our work. She entertains herself surprisingly well, moving between toys, books, and little adventures of her own. It’s incredible how she creates her own world, even within the same space every day.
Our household responsibilities are divided in a way that works for us. My husband takes care of cooking, while I handle cleaning. Laundry and dishes? We alternate. He’s in charge of taking out the garbage. This teamwork keeps things fair and prevents one person from feeling overwhelmed. Some days are more tiring than others, but knowing we support each other makes all the difference.
After work, if the weather is good, I take our daughter outside while my husband prepares dinner. Sometimes we play on our terrace, and other times, we go for a walk to explore the neighborhood. She loves pointing out different things—dogs, cars, trees, and people passing by. It’s our little adventure, a time for her to release energy and for me to unwind from the workday. These moments outside feel like a reset, separating work life from home life.
Once we’re back, dinner is ready, and we all sit down to eat together. This is one of the few moments where everything slows down, even just for a short time. After dinner, we go through the bedtime routine—bath, pajamas, bedtime stories, and cuddles. She drifts off to sleep, and then the house is quiet.
The evening is when my husband and I finally have time to talk, relax, or catch up on anything left undone. Some nights, it’s chores. Other nights, it’s talking about anything or sitting in silence, appreciating the calm. Balancing work, parenting, and marriage means making time for each other, even when exhaustion tempts us to go straight to bed.
Not every day is smooth. There are times when work is stressful, the house is a mess, and patience runs low. But I remind myself that balance doesn’t mean having everything under control all the time. Some days, work takes priority. Other days, our daughter needs more attention. The key is adapting, communicating, and letting go of the idea that everything has to be perfect.
Finding time for myself is still a challenge, but I try to make space for small moments—blogging or watching a Korean TV series. Writing helps me process my thoughts, reflect on my day, and express myself in ways that daily conversations don’t always allow. Watching a good Korean drama gives me a mental break—it’s a chance to escape into a different world, even for just an hour. These little things help keep me grounded.
One day, I hope to add learning German to my me time. Living in a country where German is the main language, I know it would help in so many ways—whether at work, in daily life, or in my daughter’s education. Right now, it’s hard to find the time, but I remind myself that there will be a season for everything. For now, I focus on what I can manage and trust that I’ll get there when the time is right.
At the end of the day, what matters most is that our daughter is happy, our home functions, and we still find moments of connection as a family. It’s not always easy, but it’s always worth it. The days are busy, but they are also full of love, learning, and the little moments that make life beautiful.
