“Motherhood has taught
me the meaning of living in the moment and being at peace. Children don’t think
about yesterday, and they don’t think about tomorrow. They just exist in the
moment.” —Jessalyn Gilsig
Stay-at-home-mum
or a career woman? Well! I think this topic must have been beaten to death –
choosing to be a stay-at-home mum or pursuing your career. What is the right
thing to do? The good news is that there is no such thing as right or wrong. No
one situation is ideal, it’s only a matter of choice for each of us without
having to feel guilty either ways.
While
working gives you the financial independence, and stay at home mum gives you
the assurance that you are there for the kids whenever they need you. Both are
good. As someone said, “We mothers’ can’t have it all”. It’s like, “You want to
eat the cake and have it too”.
I used to
have severe complex when confronted with working women. A feeling of belonging
to a lesser tribe with my image of undone hair, ordinary salwar kameez, and
sometimes an unmatched dupatta compared to the corporate image type of a
perfect suit, fully accessorized, branded handbag and a laptop bag. Thankfully
I have overcome that. Everyone has their own role to play and prioritize things.
While it’s harder for a working woman to balance work and home without a
support system at home.
I know many
of my friends and acquaintances, a mixed bunch of weekend moms, work from home
moms, moms working across the seven seas, single mums and mums raising the kids
single handedly in spite of the father being around. All of us need to be
acknowledged, appreciated and applauded, because it’s not easy being a mother.
Being a
stay at home mum is so underrated, because people tend to think that she has
nothing else to do except to take care of the kids and cook. But the fact is
that she has a lot more to do than that. After all she is just like any other
human being who needs her own space too apart from working all day long.
While the
time kids are away can be effectively planned to pursue something of her
interest or a hobby and of course to maintain fitness regime which is so very
important and the most neglected part for some of us. I miss working at times, but
never at the cost of leaving my kids at daycare or baby sitters.
Let’s pat our
backs for a job well done and be up and running the next day. It’s a role that
we need to play every single day – can’t afford to take a break for one day
except for the school holidays I guess, because even if motherhood gives you a
break your kids will not. So, get going all you mums out there.
At the end
of the day I am happy being a stay-at-home mum – I may not be able to justify
my entire time to my kids, but it’s a choice I’ve made to ensure my presence
for my kids. In my opinion the mere presence makes all the difference as long
as they want you around, until a time when they don’t want you around, or want
you to watch them. I am eagerly waiting for that time.
This blog
is a small tribute to all mums who are all working hard at work and home to
make everyone happy – only a mom can do it.
The phrase “working mother” is redundant – Jane Sellman.
All mothers are working mothers. - Anonymous
