I see the phrase a workingwoman or a working-mom in various dialogues even today. A working-mom vs stay-at-home mom debate is not new. Are there any non-working moms? If there are I haven’t seen any. Don’t get me wrong, the phrase “a working mom ” means to say a mom is earning a wage, or in an employment or a career. That isn’t lost on me.
I stopped being “a workingwoman ” to become a wife, mother, and a caregiver. I did that for a while, and I will be eternally grateful for the opportunity to fully immerse myself in the experience of being a mother. By slowing down, I was able to create an extremely rewarding bonding time for us as a family.
It gave me time to find and re-connect with things that made me genuinely happy. Over the years, by being a stay-at-home mom I got a chance to get to know a lot of mother friends who excel at different jobs. They fulfill the roles of stay-at-home mothers, professionals, caregivers, small business owners, students, sometimes all at once. They play impactful fulfilling roles in their family and friends lives balancing their own.
Also, I got to connect with some of my own hobbies and passions, I really wanted to learn how to do it. I started writing The Perfect Curry blog, when my children were old enough for me to have some time off and, I genuinely enjoy writing about meals I make.
All work is important, yet evidence shows that stay at home mothers face more scrutiny when they want to return to active employment. By staying home to care for children, it somehow makes a mother deem is less skilled. A disappointing notion. A well-planned career slowdown sometimes can mean better success down the line. Plus, a lot more balance, relationships, emotional and mental health.
A society where a woman can fulfil her career goals while being a mother if she wishes to or will not have to sacrifice one for another is my ultimate wish for my girls. A world where we do not use terms as “a workingwomen ” or “non- working women” or any other divisive term is my hope for my girls.
We have all known trying times, met people who didn’t have our best interest in their mind. We also have some amazing people who look out for us. We are all survivors. If we learn to respect and support each other, success can be achieved in any goal, we set our eyes on.
KALANI MASACHI 