Being a ChicagoNow blogger has been a hoot. One of the fun things about this fabulous group of bloggers is a monthly one hour writing challenge. This month, the theme is “Write about a time when you made a mistake or were wrong about something.” So here is my go.
Hi working moms. After 16 years of stay at home mom-ing it, I have joined your ranks, and I see that I owe you an apology. I never understood the ‘mommy wars,’ and never looked at working moms as different than stay at home moms in any other way than you worked outside of the house and I did not. I didn’t judge about time spent at school or any of that other back and forth nonsense that seems to flood blog pages and morning shows across the nation. No, I didn’t partake in any of that.
In fact, I always said, with all my heart, to you brave working moms “I don’t know how you do it,” and thought I was providing empathy and a bit of awe. But now, that I am a working mom – granted both my kiddos are in school full time – I TRULY don’t know how you do it. The words I used to say, while sincere, were really hollow, now that I take a moment to look back. I said it – but now that I am doing it – WHAT THE HELL LADIES?? Seriously how do you get them off to school, get yourself pretty and professional, (GET UP FOR THE 6am workout!!) work all day, manage the broken dryer and plan dinners and carpools, and wonder about how Janie will do on her midterm and manage Johnny being bullied on the playground – ALL WHILE PERFORMING YOUR BEST AT YOUR JOBS??? You are nothing short of really cool rockstars in my eyes.
It’s a window I thought I saw clearly out of, but clearly, I did not see. You did all that I did as a stay at home mom, and you go to work every day. While I am truly enjoying my job and my co-workers, I can say it has been an interesting challenge finding balance (I hate that word,) between working and getting it all done. Slowly but surely, I’m finding my way. Responsibilities are shifting at our house, and life is changing in some very good ways.
I look forward to new conversations with my working mom friends to find some balance (that word!) and to garner some much needed words of wisdom on how to navigate this new road. Please accept my apologies for not really getting it, as I now sit in the middle of the ring, wondering how in fact I, am actually doing it too.
To read all the wonderful bloggers participating in tonights writing challenge, click here!!
https://storify.com/…/chicagonow-s-blogapalooz-hour-volume-…
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