Diary of a Working Mom

Reading various blogs and Facebook pages and articles….and wondering if women are trying to put themselves back “barefoot and pregnant.”

I know what I am reading is not everyone’s opinions, and maybe I’m just not reading the right sites, but what I see scares me a bit.

Women who know they are in crappy relationships, but won’t leave because then they won’t have an income.  Women who have been led to believe that if they leave their child for a few hours each day, that child will grow up to be some kind of criminal who spends their lives in prison.  Women who put up with things that NO ONE should put up with.

How did we get back here?  Or did we just never leave and I was just lucky enough to have a mom who knew better?

I didn’t grow up with a privileged life.  The big “dinner out” was McDonald’s, where me and my 2 siblings had our choice of only a hamburger or cheeseburger, and we split a small fry.  However, I was taught to not want to be stuck there.  Thank goodness.

It slightly disturbs me to read questions from a young woman asking if she should quit her job and go on welfare because her ex who is not even taking care of the children thinks she should.  It greatly disturbs me to see other women encouraging her to do just that because otherwise she is not a good mother.  REALLY???

I am a working mom.  I was a working mom when I had my child, a working mom when I was still married to his father, a working single mom when we got divorced, and a working mom whose bills could still be paid if she didn’t work now that I’m remarried.  AND I’M A DAMN GOOD MOTHER. 

I can take care of myself and my child, no matter what, and I’m proud of that.  And so is my son.  He will never be the victim of having to live in an environment that is not good for him because I have the ability to remove him from one.  He will never view women as someone that should be belittled. He will never view a female as something other than an equal.  And he knows his mother loves him more than life itself.  And, well, I can’t say that he’s unhappy with some of the privileges that come with a mom with an income.

Working does not make you a bad mother.  If you choose not to, that is fine too, but just make sure you are doing it for the right reasons - because you don't need the income and you don't want to, because you have a special needs child that requires a stay at home parent, heck even because you just think working is evil - but not because people tell you that you can’t be a bad mother and still work.

I like my job.  I like the challenge it presents me.  I like the sense of accomplishment when I figure out an issue.  I like talking to other adults. 

And that’s why they have wine.  Thank goodness for the job that can pay for it.