Hats Off To You, Career Moms

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ON BEING A WORKING MOM

Moms wear different hats everyday but working moms focused on two particular hats – motherhood and career.

You’re probably in your early 20’s to mid 40’s. You have kids. Likely two or three (or more), age ranging from a newborn to  seven years old to early teen hood.

In this stage, you are feeling exhausted. Pressed hard, pushed hard and loved hard. You are mentally, physically and emotionally tired.

Career moms - feeling tired

Photo credit to http://bit.ly/2onQVBj

You are in a stage where your little ones want and need you the most. You are dealing with tantrums, teething and maybe skin infections. You are trying to balance life, but you just can’t. Juggling between nap schedules, feeding schedules, yoga sessions, play school or homeschooling, you’ll probably drop a ball or two.

You are eaten by guilt.

Guilt of giving your kids only limited time because you need to go to work. Guilt of not hearing their first word and jealousy that they’ve said “papa” first before “mama” because you’re away and papa takes care of them. Or, guilt of leaving your kids with a yaya or your parents. Guilt of still having to go to work during your rest day because your bills are waiting to be paid and you need to go shopping because baby needs diaper and milk.

You are jealous.

Of those moms who stay at home but have more than enough. That can play with the kids all day long and still manage to stay pretty. Jealous that they can have a vacation out of town and you can’t even attend your grandmother’s birthday because your leave was not approved (or you have exhausted all your leave credits when your family got sick for a month – this was a personal experience).

That moment when you wanted to quit, to let go and just run from all these responsibilities. That moment when pay day is near and yet you are not excited but much worried that what you’ll get won’t be enough.

That moment when you go to work, it rained hard and your last pair of shoes is smiling with you. You wanted to cry, but you manage to still smile (with your rain-soaked-and –smiling-shoes).

You go back to the beginning. You picture -think your darlings, they need you. This is your JOB – to be their mom and their provider.

At this moment you may be struggling with identity. Am I just a plain “mommy” or “just” a working mom? Is there anything about me that’s not about being a mom, or is there any other things better than mothering my kids?

You might say, I look like a mom now, totally a mommy with those stretch marks and belly fats. No time for make up or fixing those messy eyebrows but still manage to go to work looking (a lil) presentable.

This is the moment that you are (so much) overloaded. With questions, with expectations and a long list of all the important and even unimportant to-do’s, overloaded with activities and THOUGHTS (on how you’ll get through with all these).

It’s hard, isn’t it?

So… what keeps us on our feet? What fuels us to continue?

Mostly, what can we do to make it easier or at least survive it all?

We need help.

Maybe from our partners in life or parents or girlfriends? We need a little tap on our shoulders and a helping hand.

We need to accept ‘that’ help

From simple things such as “I’ll wash the dishes” from your husband or maybe a sibling; to “I’ll look after the kids while you’re away”. Isn’t it sweet?

Don’t expect perfection

We ask for help, we accepted it, but PLEASE do not expect that they’ll do it meticulously as we do. We are different and we have to accept that we can’t take it all by ourselves.

Make time for yourself

Even if it’s just less than 15 minutes of doing what you WANT. Reading a book, checking on FB or painting or writing or meditating or ANYTHING THAT MAKES YOU, YOU!

Lastly and most importantly…

remember that this stage is beautiful, that this is the sweetest. This is the stage that your kids love you more than anyone, that you are faced with only teething, skin infections or tantrums (wait until teen hood comes and bullying and peer pressure and all!), this is the moment that your kids are nearest to you. The moment that you can laugh with them, play with them, teach them and be with them.

I know it’s hard, even harder because you have two different worlds to attend to – home and the corporate.

But, be proud! Because you are being used to be a channel of blessings and hope and love.

This is the moment that we ought to embrace life and its bittersweet treats.

That moment before going to work, those shower of tiny kisses, big hugs, smiles and laughter, those “I love you, Mom…” that take away all the pain and tiredness.

That’s the joy of motherhood. Of seeing your child/children happy, healthy and full of love.

It’s the stage where you are young enough to have fun, and old enough to have obtained at least SOME wisdom. – Hayley Hengst

And surely, you’ll be missing all these as time passed by…

Hats off to all (us) working moms who’ve desired to just stay at home to live life according to purpose, but still choose to keep going and love both worlds!

Blessings,

Guest Writer:
Mary Grace Sanchez-Suycano
GracefulMusings.com

 

9 Comments so far. Feel free to join this conversation.

  1. Jen Ubongen 2017/06/05 at 1:06 am - Reply

    Exactly my thoughts. I was previously working as a nurse and I am a homemaker now. At times I feel useless though I’m totally exhausted. I prayed to God to enlighten me, and I read this post.. Yeah, I believe I am a ‘channel of blessings and hope and love’. Thank for this! 😉

  2. Melisa Sanchez 2017/06/05 at 2:13 am - Reply

    From employment to parenting! Whoa! Sometimes I felt the annoyance, specially those times na may hihitayin kang sahod. But I am grateful and thankful kasi nanjan naman ang husband ko para e cheer up ako pag na miss ko ang mag work 🙂

  3. Above Precious Rubies 2017/06/05 at 3:40 am - Reply

    WAHM here who wants to be a SAHM one day. So yes, I’m a little envious sa SAHMs but I think of my job as a blessing nalang. I did experience the guilt. I mean who wouldn’t when you want to have time with your child but can’t because you have commitment at work. Cheers, career moms!

  4. Denice 2017/06/05 at 5:42 am - Reply

    I believe that having a shoulder you can lean on is a great help to us since being a mom is one of the toughest job out there. be it your husband or your parents or anyone else. I’m thankful to have a partner in crime who supports me all the way. As for other moms out there, kudos! you are all amazing

  5. Kati Allan-Balayan 2017/06/05 at 8:50 pm - Reply

    Proud full time working mom here! I agree that no matter how you want to be SuperMom, it’s essential to give yourself a break once in a while. How would you be to take joy in caring for your kids when you neglect to take care of yourself in the first place, right? We need to be the bets versions of ourselves to be the best moms for our kids 🙂

  6. Meg Mortega 2017/06/05 at 10:11 pm - Reply

    I so love this post by Mommy G! I have been a full-time working mom for 8 years and yes, there are times when I want to give up because of the nature of my job. This kind of post remind me to hold on and continue to do my best and BE PROUD OF MYSELF. I may feel like I fail motherhood at times but to my family’s eyes, I will always be super 🙂

  7. Peachy @ The Peach Kitchen 2017/06/06 at 7:27 pm - Reply

    Hats off to all the wonderful moms out there. I enjoyed reading your post Mommy Grace!

  8. Louisa 2017/06/07 at 9:26 am - Reply

    It’s a really challenging and at times difficult journey being a WAHM. When it gets so hard I try to remember why I chose this. When I see my kids and how great they are my mood gets a major boost. I’m thankful and blessed to be a WAHM.

  9. luvabi 2017/06/17 at 5:10 pm - Reply

    Working mom here. I feel the person who wrote this took the words right out of my mouth!
    I work,I blog, I play with my kids and read them books. I think a great support system is what working moms need to not feel the “mom guilt”. It is a challenge and I wis I could be a SAHM or WAHM but its not happening that way for me right now. No matter our status what’s important is we TRY our very best.

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