When my mother was pregnant with me, most of the women that she worked with returned to work. But my mother decided that she wanted to be at home with her babies until my brother was at preschool – and then she returned to the workforce.My maternity leave is drawing to an end {I was super blessed to be able to take two years maternity leave with Mr Moo and then a year’s maternity leave with the Little Dude} and I am now faced with the decision of returning to work or not.
I just don’t feel like I am ready to go back to work and leave Mr Moo and the Little Dude. I feel like my position is here, with them, being their mother.
Now, I am not trying to start a mummy war. I understand that some Mums have to return to work and some Mums just want to return to work for themselves.
Being a mum is making a great contribution towards society – and if my sons want to grow up and be stay-at-home-Dads then that will be a valid contribution too.
I see an awesome stay-at-home Dad at one of our weekly activities. He climbs on the equipment, makes up imaginative games and is so ‘in-the-moment’ with his son. I think this little boy is so lucky to have his Daddy with him throughout the day.
I feel like the last year has flown by. The Little Dude is one next month and we have already started looking at playschools and/or preschools for Mr Moo. Soon enough they will start school and I am more then happy to return to work at that point in time, but whilst they are little I want to be there to see their first steps, to hear their first words, to teach them new tasks, to see their happy faces, to hear their giggles, and to wipe away their tears.
My husband has already brought up having another baby {even if I’m not ready this year to fall pregnant again, I know that I’m not finished having babies}. I’m happy being a Mum right now, I’m happy not returning to work right now. I know that my family isn’t finished – there could be room for one more or three more {who knows what we will be blessed with?}.
All I do know is that I really want to embrace ‘just being a mum’ and living in the moment like my Nan did. I want to create awesome memories with my little ones so that I can look back and say that the years that I had my babies at home were some of the best years of my life!
I agree, the feminism has given us a choice. I chose to go back to work part-time when my daughter was 5 months old. Babies grow so quickly and I was lucky to be able to do both, keep my career moving and spend precious days with my child. Not everyone is in that position. If you want to embrace being a Mum for a little while longer and your circumstances allow for it, then go for it!
It is wonderful that you were able to return to a supportive workplace in which you were able to work part-time. I think that more workplaces need to have that flexability if they want more women to return to the workforce. Thanks for being supportive 🙂
I definitely feel like there is immense pressure to head back to work or do something “more valuable” with my time than raise my children. Yet I know when I am old and grey, it will be the time that I spent with my children I will treasure the most. There are only little for such a short while. Excuse me, I think I best be off to cuddle them both.
So true Robyna. Enjoy those cuddles 🙂