By: Jennifer Vander Sanden
It’s time to get a little personal- which I don’t usually do. I mean, check out my Instagram or Facebook and you’ll see I don’t log my family’s every move. The occasional picture of my adorable daughter is one thing, but most of my online activity has to do with work. That being said, I have something to say about being a working mom.
It’s very personal, at least to me, and not everyone is going to like it or agree with it, but here goes…working, makes me a better mother!
Now, before you go crazy, let me clarify. Nothing comes before my family. They are absolutely my first priority, and luckily, I have a boss who supports that. But, I learned something very important about myself when I spent a few weeks home with my daughter Harper before starting here at Heron Agency. I learned that I give 100% of myself to my little girl when our time together is limited. When it’s not every minute of every day, the time we do have means the absolute world to me. I cherish it so much more, and find myself making the most of it. Don’t get me wrong, my hat goes off to all stay-at-home moms out there. My sister, for example, is a homemaker with three boys, all under age ten. That woman deserves a fricking medal for all she accomplishes, but I’m not her.
Initially, I was racked with guilt about returning to work. It was like déjà vu to my return from maternity leave, except this time, she said “mama,” which made it all that much more difficult. But, I found when I got home, I wanted time to slow down instead of praying her bedtime would come. My patience meter got reset each day and the small things, like bath time, became enjoyable instead of being chores. My family is now what I have to look forward to after a long day of work- a little piece of motivation to get me through whatever the day brings.
I hope, down the road, if someone asks Harper what kind of mother she had, she tells them my drive and determination fostered her own ambition. I hope her memories aren’t of me, not being there every day when school gets out, because let’s face it, I’m going to miss some things. Instead, I want her to remember the lessons I taught her, like how hard work yields opportunities.
So, I’m done saying I feel bad. I feel good! I feel good about my work-life balance and the mother I am!
