This is a letter from a working mom to moms who have decided to pursue raising children rather than building a career.
Dear Moms who have devoted themselves not to their careers, but to raising children.
I want to start this letter with an apology - forgive me if I once judged you or said unpleasant things about you. Forgive me for not realizing what a difficult job you are doing.
There is an opinion that only career mothers find it difficult to find balance in life, because we try to grab onto everything at once, rush from one another and complain about the lack of time.
As a mom who works, I have a lot of excuses. You can accumulate dirty laundry until it starts to fall out of the basket, and a stack of dirty dishes can proudly rise above the sink. And you can eat fast food, because mom doesn't have time to cook.
It seems to me that you try to find and find balance more than working mothers. Excuses are not permissible for you. And I suspect that in many areas you are much more demanding of yourself than working mothers.
Sometimes I wonder if you would like to change something. I really think how you were able to sacrifice your career to fully devote yourself to raising children. And I suspect that it takes more effort for you to suppress these feelings and keep balance on this issue.
There are days when you work much more than I do. You have mountains of tasks, you are focused, responsible, caring, fearless - and most importantly, you combine all these qualities, certainly better than me. You do not look for excuses for yourself why dinner is not ready or the laundry is not washed. So, feel free to apply the term "full-time mom" to yourself.
I forget about half of the planned tasks of my children, I constantly bring them to classes at the wrong time, I forget to give them money for lunch and in the morning shift it onto the shoulders of the nanny. I can get away with it because I work outside the home.
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Sometimes I wonder what if you had a track record. It is unlikely that condemnation, eye-rolling and gossip that you are a bad mom would follow.
Before, I was jealous of you and even a little angry, because with your lifestyle you pointed out to me my weaknesses. You are always ready for the first day of school, you always have time to bake cookies for the school fair, you are happy to help in classroom affairs, at night prepare a project for the teacher of your children, as well as organize all quizzes and matinees.
But it's time to stop and thank fate that there are women who can choose just such a "job", sacrificing their ambitions. So, my envy was replaced by gratitude, and anger - by recognition.
Thank you for teaching my daughter to tie shoelaces in kindergarten.
Thank you for spending long hours with the children at school, helping them with their studies.
Thank you for hugging them when I'm not around.
Thank you for always carrying a couple of extra plasters for my son, who might fall and rip off his elbow.
And thank you for your kindness, for never once condemning irresponsible mothers like me, who forget to bring a sign with the class inscription to their child on the first call, and let them hold theirs.
Thank you for setting an example for me to be calm, kind and fulfilled as I watch you gracefully do your job.
Thank you for holding my hand in yours and comforting me as I reproach myself for not having the opportunity to be with my children more often.
Thank you for helping me get better.
I learned a lot from looking at you. You have one of the most difficult professions in the world! I admire you!
And maybe next year I will finally give my child a sign for the first bell.
Source: www.huffingtonpost.com
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