There’s a simple explanation for why I gave up a potentially lucrative legal career, high-end label clothes and more than one adult conversation per day that isn’t about the consistency of my offspring’s bowel movements. It just so happens to coincide with the awesomely bad Armageddon theme song: I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing.
It actually wasn’t much of a decision making process when we got pregnant and I was in my second year of practicing law at a small firm. Though our pregnancy was a wonderful surprise, my early retirement wasn’t. Both my husband and I grew up with moms who didn’t work outside the home, and we knew it was how we wanted things in our own family.
For me, it was more than giving my children one-on-one attention each day, in their own home, by their own parent. Though I have plenty of friends who work outside of the home and are great moms with great kids, I personally do think there is an advantage for kids to have a parent at home. I’m blessed to have the financial means to be able to make that happen.
However, my decision was a little more selfish: I just had to be there. It ranged from the large scale milestones to the little daily things. I didn’t want to come home from work and know that I missed my daughter’s first word, her first step or the first time she went potty in the big girl potty. I also didn’t want to second guess whether she got a nutritious lunch, whether she was stimulated enough during the day or whether someone was going to step in quickly enough if she stuck a peanut up her nose. Again.
We definitely have some tough days and it’s not all play dates and picnics. I miss having a sense of accomplishment at the end of the day and a working lunch that doesn’t involve sippy cups and PB&J. Technically, I haven’t had a “day off” in four years.
Call me a saint, call me self-sacrificing or call me a control freak, but just call me at home–that’s where I’ll be.
