Working mother's constant battle: 'She wondered why I didn’t have my baby with me'
Mum-of-three, Leslie Means, has grown increasingly tired of the battle mums face against each other.
While we claim motherhood is a village, we are still pitting ourselves against one another; stay-at-home mum versus working mum.
But it's not healthy, and Leslie has come to her wits end with regards to the battle.
"I had a well-intentioned, lovely woman tell me today that she was 'glad I was able to be home with my kids because it’s what we are meant to do'. And then she wondered why I didn’t have my baby with me."
"The baby is at daycare – because I’m working. And so are millions of other mamas in this great world."
The mum-of-three understands what it is really like to leave your 12-week-old baby with a daycare provider, she knows how it feels to go back to work leaking breastmilk and having to wear maternity pants.
"I know what it’s like to have your brain in a fog in a business meeting because all you can do is wonder about your baby."
"I know what it’s like to work away from the home because you have to. Because every single dollar you earn goes towards a life of living paycheck to paycheck."
However, this isn't all Leslie can understand, because she too has known the privilege of working from home, setting your own hours and most of all because: "Not only do you need to contribute to the family income but you also want to contribute to the family income."
"Because you love it. You love your kids. And you love your job. And friends, it’s OK to love it all."
Sharing snippets from her childhood, Leslie confesses that her mum too, worked away from the home, but it didn't mean Leslie suffered; she had an amazing childhood full of memories.
"Nine years ago, I became a mum. I haven’t stopped working. I have no intention to ever stop working."
While the mum-of-three considers it may not be your thing to work full time and raise a family, or maybe you are lucky to be able to afford to stay-at-home, or perhaps, you have to work in order to pay bills, or maybe, just maybe, you really love your job.
It doesn't matter what you choose, as Leslie shares: "You do you, mama. Because what we’re really meant to do is a whole lot of things."
"We’re meant to be wives, sisters, aunts, friends, doctors, nurses, teachers, business owners, CEO’s of massive corporations (and on, and on, and on). And we’re also meant to be mamas. If we get that privilege. If we want that privilege."
"What a gift it is to raise these babies into beautiful, smart, kind adults. Being a mama to my three kids will always be my favourite 'job'. It just will. But I work hard because I want to provide for our family."
"And I work hard because I have dreams and goals outside of being a mum. And that’s cool too."
So no matter if you work from home, away from home or stay-at-home with your children, that is where you are meant to be, and you do not need to feel guilt for that.
You're good at your jobs mums, Leslie knows it, and we at MagicMum know it too.