A Business Owner's Wife

“Your husband owns his own company, how awesome to have that freedom!”

“Wow, it must be so nice. He can just decide when he wants to work or not.”

“He is his own boss? You guys are so lucky!”

This is what comes out of most people mouths when I tell them my husband has his own business. While yes, I am so grateful he is his own boss, it’s incredibly lonely sometimes.

It’s not like in the movies where you see business owners traveling all of the time, sleeping in late, deciding to just “take the day off!”

It looks like this a lot of the time ...

His wife, sitting alone at the restaurant with his drink ordered for him. Sitting, waiting for him, while he manages deals and has to respond immediately to clients.

It’s me apologizing to the server..

“I’m sorry, my husband said he would be here by now.. Can I order his food for him? I know what he wants..”

It’s me knowing that “I’ll be there in 15 minutes” could mean an hour.

It’s explaining to the kids why daddy can’t be home for dinner.

It’s explaining to the kids why he can’t be home to read a bed time story as much anymore.

It’s explaining to the kids that why we have such a nice place to live, is because daddy works so hard. But it is also hard seeing in their faces that they don’t really understand.

It’s being there for him when it’s a slow week, and he’s stressed.

It’s being there for him when it’s a busy week, and he’s stressed.

It’s being there and holding his hand, getting denied for things because being self employed can make it hard to get approved.

It’s knowing that “I’ll be home by 5pm” can easily mean a phone call at 6pm “sorry, hon, I won’t be back for another hour..”

It’s knowing that I can’t be mad, or upset, because he is working so hard to provide.

It’s knowing he works so damn hard..for us.

But it’s so lonely sometimes.

Next time you hear someone say that their partner has just started their own company, or has their own business, instead of just saying “wow, how lucky you guys are!”

Remember this:

Ask them if they’re doing okay.

Especially ask the one staying at home, the one holding the house down.

Because most of the time, it’s not fancy trips, fancy cars, and sleeping in whenever they want.

It’s this ...

The wife, sitting at a table, alone, not because she planned it that way, but because something came up, and at the end of the day, it has to be him.

Its waiting with his drink.

Ordering his food for him.

Explaining to the kids why daddy won’t be home to tuck them in.

Making nice dinners for him to come home to, only to put it in the fridge to keep it good until he is finally home. It can also be so very lonely sometimes.

And all the while, even when it's hard, being so grateful I am a business owners wife.