Parenting
The Essential Quality for Every Working Mother
by Jamie Lynn
Updated: Jan. 17, 2023
Originally Published: April 18, 2018
How does one manage to juggle everything? This is a common question, and the answer often surprises people: “I don’t achieve balance.” Why should I pretend otherwise? Balance is merely an illusion—at least in my experience. I navigate my days through the smoke and mirrors of my own creation, striving to complete tasks swiftly and efficiently while trying not to lose my sanity.
Here’s how it unfolds:
It’s my inaugural day with a new client—a significant one, no less. Just nine weeks post-partum with my daughter, I step into the office with my composure intact: I look confident and (seem to) have everything under control. Who has three children? Certainly not me today. I’m a corporate professional, an empowered individual, momentarily shedding my identity as a mother. This was once a source of imposter syndrome, but after five years I’ve learned to project that confidence, and now I’m beginning to believe my own facade.
On that morning, everything appears to go smoothly. I manage to wake the kids, get everyone ready, and out the door for school. Two down, one left. As I pull into my son’s school parking lot, disaster strikes—he vomits. A lot. Thankfully, it misses me in the driver’s seat, but it covers all three car seats in the back.
Stay calm, I remind myself. But then it hits me: I have just an hour to make it to my new job. Panic sets in. FUUUUCK! I was so close.
I find myself praying to the universe—whoever might be listening—to let this day go smoothly. By a stroke of luck, my mother is home and available (a rarity). Fast forward through a chaotic drive, tossing out the barf-soaked car seats, wiping the sweat off my forehead, borrowing a fresh shirt, and racing toward my new job with the windows down to mitigate the stench.
I arrive at the office with a mere five minutes to spare.
With a smile, I greet my new colleagues. Sneaking texts from the women’s restroom to check on my son, I try to focus on the orientation and feign excitement for a new project, all while battling guilt for leaving my son when he needs me the most. Once again, I’m prioritizing work over motherhood. But I put on my game face, because in any job, the expectation is to make it all look effortless.
Smoke and mirrors—it’s a necessity for working mothers.
This is the reality behind the scenes, an unspoken requirement in every job description for those of us aiming for career advancement. Career moms must appear to flourish amidst the chaos, delivering results seamlessly. But behind the façade, it’s often complete disarray. Is it worthwhile? Absolutely, if you desire both a career and a family. But is it a simple endeavor? Not in the slightest; it’s incredibly complicated.
Here’s to all the working moms out there—their hustle, their reality of balancing nothing, the struggle to be good parents while often feeling inadequate. Here’s to our collective efforts to juggle the chaos of diapers, deadlines, and takeout. We are the rockstar mothers maneuvering through the smoke and mirrors of life.
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Summary:
This article explores the challenges faced by working mothers, highlighting the illusion of balance in their lives. It discusses a personal experience of navigating work and motherhood amidst chaos. The narrative emphasizes the necessity of maintaining a façade of control while dealing with the realities of parenting. Ultimately, it celebrates the resilience and strength of working moms.