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How do you choose between being an SAHM or working mom? Simple. You do what you really, really, really want to do!
The moment you conceive, people around you become over-concerned for your career, sometimes even more than for your health.
It is really annoying yet compulsive to answer their incessant queries about your maternity leave, sabbatical, or resignation. Suddenly you are a star in the office and your decisions in life matter more to people than their own. But soon you confront hard reality, that while you are going topsy-turvy in your bed at night with your brain and heart waging a war, your ‘caring’ (read overbearing) colleagues are busy churning the most important Breaking News of your life into nothing more than ‘over the coffee gossip’.
But a decision certainly needs to be made at this point. How do you make it?
For a mom, nothing comes before her child. It is only for them that many moms decide to leave their career behind or not. But to be sure of your choice it is important to answer the following questions.
The support can be in any form, your in-laws, parents, even your partner chipping in (nothing like it!), or a creche or nanny.
These days there are a million nannies out there for the moms of the millennium and almost similar number of other facilities like day care, nursery etc. The nanny comes and claims to take care of your child like her own. But what is important is your trust and faith in them. Your belief that your little one will be taken care of in your absence so that you can be carefree and do justice to your career.
Half of your life and most of your dreams are destroyed by this one liner. By the time you realize this, it’s too late.
Don’t work just because you are educated enough to earn for yourself or peer pressure or social stigma. And also don’t give up just because your family is of the view that ‘humare Ghar ki ladkiyan kamane nai jati...’ Try to find the real zeal behind your urge to work.
What is it that you would be paying to pursue your career? Not just in monetary terms but also emotionally. Whether financial independence is important or that extra second spent with your child is. It should be you, and only you who should draw a trade off between the two and take a decision.
Yes, to achieve great heights it is important to be focused. And one can be focused only if their mind is not preoccupied with other thoughts.
Most times, women tend to think about their children when at work and about work when they are with children. Perfect juggling between the responsibilities is required to maintain a proper work life balance and peace of mind.
The most important of all decisions is whether your child is comfortable and happy in the alternative you have chosen for them in your absence. Are they cranky in your absence and always searching for you? After all, it is the child for whom you do everything and there is no point putting their happiness at stake.
You can stay happy only if the decision is made by you and only you, and not influenced by anyone else. Only then will you be able to stand by it and do justice to it. In short I would just suggest that don’t become something others want you to, or because its easy. You will never be happy. You have to do what you really, really, really want to do even if it scares the shit out of you.
Disclaimer: This list is not complete and exhaustive and the reader’s discretion is advised.
Published here earlier.
Image source: pixabay
I am a mother of a baby boy, a management graduate and a multi-faceted professional mom making home a sweeter place to live in. read more...
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