Home
>
Parenting
>
The Hardest Job I Ever Had

The Hardest Job I Ever Had

I used to have a really challenging job. It was stressful and demanding, high pressure and large responsibilities.

I was really good at it too. Really, I was.

Then I became a parent.

In my old job, I was really good at delegating, training, developing and managing people...and rationalizing.

Oh, could I rationalize.

"I may have to work 60 or 70 hours a week, but I'm providing my girls with security, money for college, a comfortable life."

"Yes, I have to be out of town for a week at a time several times a year, but I'm providing a strong role model for my daughters."

I was a hard working, professional, career woman. And I was as misinformed as could be.

I used to say to my husband, "I could never not work. I'd go crazy. I don't want my life to be about Kool-Aid and paper towels."

What an idiot.

Then one day, I realized that something had happened to me. There wasn't really a defining moment, no earth-shattering epiphany. More like a gradual awakening. I realized that I wanted nothing more than to stay home making Kool-Aid for my girls.

It could have something to do with the fact that after having spent 5 months on bed rest while pregnant with my second child, the first thing I had to do was hire a nanny so I could jump on a plane to a week-long meeting in San Francisco.

Or, it could have been that while I was at this meeting, I was asked to go to Florida for 2 weeks to facilitate an acquisition. I wasn't really asked of course, more like assigned.

It just might have been seeing a picture of my oldest daughter on her first day of school. She was just about to go into her 1st grade classroom as Daddy had snapped the picture, and she looked so sad. And where was I? You guessed it...at a meeting.

Suddenly, all I could think about were my girls and what on earth was I thinking about leaving them in someone else's care?

So, I left my career behind; a bittersweet decision at the time, but I haven't looked back since. And in short order I realized that I had grossly underestimated the task before me.

There have been times when I wonder what has happened to all those professional skills.

Where is my patience when my 4-year-old has plugged up the toilet with her sister's rock collection? And where are my problem solving skills when I've foolishly volunteered to be the Cookie Manager for my daughter's girl scout troop and my little one keeps opening boxes of cookies and eating them? Where is my sense of diplomacy when someone makes even the least careless remark to one of my children?

It's a good thing I got all that experience in my other job before I got my promotion to stay-at-home parent.

So, to all the moms and dads who have dedicated themselves to caring for their precious children, consider this my deep bow of respect to you. You are the bravest, most important people in the world- doing the most challenging, important job in the world. It's the hardest job I've ever had.

--------------------------------

Sharon Davis is the Mom to two girls, the owner of 2Work-At-Home.Com, Work At Home Articles.net and the Editor of the site's monthly ezine, America's Home. In her spare time she reminisces about what it was like to have spare time.

To subscribe to her free ezine, Click Here.

This article may be reproduced providing it is published in it's entirety, including the author's bio. For a text version via autoresponder, send a blank email to thehardestjob@sendfree.com

Rolling Meadows Cadillac Escalade rental .. Lockport Chicago limo O’Hare

In The News:

There are a number of features with AirPods you may or may not know about to take your listening experience to the next level. Kurt the CyberGuy explains.

These 35 Chrome extensions have privacy and security concerns. Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson says to delete them now.

Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson says 329,000 mph fusion rocket promises to be fast, disruptive and enable deep-space missions.

Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.

Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson says a new autonomous AI is a game changer that also raises privacy risks. Is your data safe?

Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson says robots and drones are revolutionizing fruit farming with faster picking and smarter handling.

Landmark Admin revises May 2024 cyberattack scope to show twice as many people were affected. Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson gives tips to help stay safe from an insurance data breach.

Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson talks about how Yamaha’s hydrogen outboard motor could revolutionize boating with zero emissions.

Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson reveals how to memorialize or remove a deceased loved one’s Facebook account and protect their digital legacy from misuse or scams.

Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson says an Apple Watch saved psychiatrist Amanda Faulkner by detecting deadly leukemia early.

Scammers and fraudsters are increasingly targeting the most vulnerable, especially nursing homes and the personal data of their residents. Kurt the CyberGuy has safety tips.

Infected USB flash drives can spread malware among multiple organizations in ways that can easily bypass traditional security systems.

With a fully automated warehouse system and AI-powered robots, Ocado's Hive picks, packs and delivers grocery store orders in just a few minutes.

Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.

Recycling robots are using artificial intelligence to learn how to sort recyclables by recognizing patterns in colors, textures, shapes and logos.

The Reachy 2 robot is designed to be friendly and approachable, inviting natural interaction and is perfect for research, education and experimenting with embodied AI.

Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson shares several easy ways to keep your credit cards safe from digital thieves while you're traveling this summer.

Arcturus sets up cameras around the edges of baseball stadiums to capture real-time action and generate a 3D digital clone of the game.

Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.

The CyberGuy explains why healthcare organizations are vulnerable to hackers after there have been a half dozen data breaches this year.

Developed at two California universities, the innovative technology combines brain-computer interfaces with advanced AI to decode neural activity into audible speech.

Microsoft patches 12 critical flaws, but six have already been exploited by criminals. Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson says updating your system is only a short-term fix.

Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson discusses how robots can milk, feed and clean cows on dairy farms, boosting efficiency and comfort.

Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson says quantum internet ensures unhackable security and redefines online privacy and speed.

Kawasaki's CORLEO is a hydrogen-powered, AI-driven rideable robot. Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson reports on this new way of thinking about off-road transportation.

The Hardest Job I Ever Had

Parenting