“ Motherhood
is the greatest thing and the hardest thing”, said Ricki Lake. Being a mother is like having a 24/7 job that
requires a lot of patience and energy but at the same time gives you immense
happiness. The gift of motherhood is the most precious thing a woman ever
experiences. Being a mother is not an
easy task and that’s to be a working mother.
Every day,
working mothers encounter and overcome new challenges large and small at home,
at the office, and on the road. Though a mother is never off duty, be it a stay-at-home
mother or a working mother. The coronavirus pandemic has been an extremely
difficult time for people across the world, but somehow working mothers seem to
have been hit the hardest. No, we are not disregarding the struggles of people
spanning different age groups around the world, but women- especially working
mothers - are the ones carrying the heaviest burdens. That’s why a
working mother needs to know about balancing her life.
Today Agnita
Basu, a working mother would be sharing her experience of motherhood and would
guide other working moms to being successful while keeping personal life
balanced. “ I wish I had the perfect story to share. The blow-by-blow of the
one day shows just how crazy working motherhood can get. It’s about busting through
the finish line of the mini-marathon of every day,” said Agnita Basu, an
academic content writer, and the Subject Head with K12 Technology Services. She
had been an Assistant Professor and Head of the Department for Geography in
three different colleges. “ Being a
mother is difficult, and battling with postpartum depression for months makes
it more difficult where the family does not understand why you are behaving
like that. But, once you overcome it, slowly you understand the situation and
enjoy the beautiful journey of motherhood”, said Agnita Basu. Its been only a
year that she has started working after being a mother. Her daughter is only two years old.
There is a widespread notion that women need to do everything for their babies
themselves. Well, after becoming a mother no one turns into an octopus with
eight limbs. Agnita Basu confessed, “ I am
grateful that I have a supportive husband and in-laws who always helped
me with the baby.” Mothers it is okay to ask for help whether that’s personally
or professionally. It may not always feel like it, but the roadblocks all
mothers especially working moms face every day have done exactly for them what
they hope life’s challenges will do for their children: They’ve given us grit
and pride. “ It is not always about the big things, finding happiness in small
moments with your baby and family matters and celebrating and cherishing those
precious moments makes it big,” says Agnita Basu.
Our mothers
always had an expression about “I love you best when you are sleeping,” she’d
say in all seriousness. Huh? What the heck, Mom? You loved us best when we were
unconscious? We growing up, always misunderstood her until recently. Now we
with becoming a mother we understand what she meant. It wasn’t about us; it was
about her.
" I wake up
at 5:30 am, do all the work in the house before my little one wakes up and
smiles at the world. Luckily I got a nanny for her who helps me to manage the
baby,” shared Agnita Basu. Working moms try to give their best to make their
baby make asleep by 9 p.m. When she can
tick all her to-do list by the day end be it at home and work so that they can
snug in their beds without feeling guilty and making another day through on the
calendar of working motherhood. Though it does not always as per the plan,
sometimes the baby keeps mothers awake all night and they had to deal with it
be it a stay-at-home mom or a working mom.
The pandemic
has made things more difficult for moms specifically working moms where the
whole work-life has been a shift to home with no boundaries. It becomes really
difficult for every mom to be with her child always where you can not even go
out to freshen your mind. Everyone has faced a lot of ups and downs in this
pandemic while being locked at home. All the mothers out there can relate to
the saying by Tina Fey “ being a mom has made me tired and so happy.” Every day
is a new chaotic struggle between working for home, working from home, being a
parent and a teacher to your little one, you are most likely facing the
disproportionate burden at home. As much as you divide the responsibilities at
home, a mother always comes forward as a primary caregiver for the children, in
most cases. Sadly, the struggle for a working mama doesn’t simply end after
balancing the responsibilities of homeschooling and acing professional work, as
there are meals to be cooked, clothes to be washed, and dishes to be cleaned.
Mothers, we
understand if the weight on your shoulders seems to get heavier with every
passing day, as it takes a tremendous amount of effort to focus on your work
and get the kids or toddler through online schooling at the same time. “ With
everyone at home always it has been very difficult for me in the lockdown. I
have even attended my meetings switching off the camera and keeping the baby on
my lap and feeding her. Though I have a cook and a nanny who comes to my great rescue that does
not mean I don’t face any distractions. The cook would ask about meal
preparations and what to cook for lunch or dinner. Even the nanny would come
and say about feeding the baby or when the baby cries excessively. In this
pandemic, where everyone is caged at home working moms must not feel guilty for
taking a rest. It is very important to focus on yourself. I work because I feel
good at work, I love my work. I feel more at peace when I have something to do
other than family and my baby. And like most women, I’m happiest when I have a
plan. I believe that if you are fully happy you can make others happy. I’m a
better wife, a better mother, and a better worker when I’m happy with myself.
So, take each day as it comes, and instead of exhausting yourself with the idea
of perfection, pat yourself on the back for trying to manage everything! As you
are an idol to your child they will learn from you and it is okay to have flaws”,
said working mother, Agnita Basu.
We are
listing down a few tips by Agnita Basu who is a mother of a toddler and at the
same time is a working woman, which may help you stay as sane as possible
during these testing times and not bear the complete brunt of all the
responsibilities. “Mothers have a job
which requires to give your hundred percent and at the same time, you are
parent, who is trying her best to home school her kids. You might be at home,
but your responsibilities and chores have multiplied manifold. Cut yourself
some slack. When you are working from home, not all days are going to be the
same. Some days your little one will be extra cranky and on other days you
would simply hate cooking. Do not waste your time and energy trying to perfect everything
around you, you may spread yourself too thin. Always remember you are enough.
It is okay if you ask for help. Have clear communication with your family. Try to have my time at least for one hour,
listen to your favorite music, read books or even scroll social media. Go stand
by your window, get a cup of coffee and feel the moment. A working mom or even stay-at-home mom needs to make at least one hour for
themselves away from her baby and family.”
Motherhood
is raw. Motherhood is messy. Motherhood is not perfect as it seems in social
media. But, it is worth it because that is where the beauty lies. Isn’t?
Rightly said by Jill Churchill “ There’s no way to be a perfect mother and a
million ways to be a good one.”
Wish you all mothers out there a very HAPPY
MOTHER’S DAY, who have sacrificed so much to make their little one happy.
Motherhood is not about a particular day where we talk about mothers but it is
making every day special for our mothers. To acknowledge all the little things
that our mothers do for us daily. “ Maa ka koi din nahi hota, Maa se hi din
hota hain.”
Love,
Beautiful
Mess
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