Dear Working Moms

Dear Working Moms,

I am one of you. I am one of the moms who gets up every day and then gets ready for work and has to kiss her baby goodbye as someone else cares for her. I know how much it can suck at times and I know there are days where you would give anything to stay home and play with your kids.

I know that you have days where you really start to question yourself and wonder ‘am I doing the right thing?’  I also know that there are days when after you pay your daycare bills and working expenses, you wonder if you are even getting ahead. And I know there are days when you look into your child’s face as you leave for work, and wish like crazy that it could somehow be different.

I am a working mom who works out of necessity. As a single mom, my income is the only income that my daughter and I have to live off of. Without my income, we would have nothing. Not working is not an option for me. There are times when I wish that I could stay home, but I am also proud of the example that I am setting for my daughter by going to work each day.

I know that all working moms work for different reasons. Maybe you’re like me and you’re a single mom who has to work. Maybe being a Stay At Home Mom was too overwhelming for you and you needed to go back to work for your sanity. Maybe you love your job and have worked really hard to get where you’re at and didn’t want to give it up. I get it, I really do. We all have our reasons for going to work, just like Stay At Home Moms have their reasons for staying at home. And I want you to know that whatever your  reason is you don’t have to justify it. Not to me, not to your family or friends and not to society. You are doing what works best for you and your family.

Working moms, I know that it is hectic. After working all day and going to meetings and crunching numbers and answering emails, it’s understandable that you just want to go home and relax. But most of us don’t get this luxury. We have to make supper, take kids to swim lessons and soccer practice, help with homework and do laundry. We try to spend a few hours relaxing after the kids go to bed, but most of the time we are so tired that all we can do is lay on the couch, watch TV and make a mental list of all of the things we didn’t accomplish at work today that need to be done tomorrow.

I also know how tough it can be to have to go to work on only three hours of sleep. But you don’t complain about it. Instead, you go to work, drink your coffee and crunch your numbers and answer emails and problem solve all day long. I know that you wish you could be at home so that at least you could power nap while the kids nap. But you can’t. You wish so badly some days that you could be home with your babies, but you have your reasons for being at work and those reasons are what gets you through the day.

I also know the guilt. The guilt of not being there. The guilt of someone else spending more waking hours with your child than you do. That mommy guilt is huge and can hit at the worst possible times. It can hit you during a meeting, while giving a presentation or speaking with clients/customers. Your child’s sweet little face creeps into your mind and you have to work really hard to think about something else, so that the guilt doesn’t completely overcome you. I get that, Working Mom’s. I understand that guilt completely because I feel it almost every single day.

Here’s the thing about that guilt though; it eventually lessens and even though you still feel it, you can soften the blow by reminding yourself of a few things. You are teaching your child about hard work. You are teaching your child about earning money. And you are setting an amazing example. You are showing your babies that a mom CAN work outside of the home and STILL be a super mom.  You are exhibiting strength, perseverance, dedication, commitment, determination and endurance. These are amazing qualities that your child is learning by seeing – and they are seeing it all in you.

So hang in there, Working Moms. I understand how you feel and I know it can be tough. But you are doing what you need to do for you and your family. It may not always be easy, but it’s always worth it. And that is extraordinary.

Love,

Katie