The Working Parent Experience

Today is National Working Parents Day, a day to pay tribute to parents who work to provide for their family. While I always thought I wanted to be a stay-at-home mom, it turns out that returning to work part time after baby makes me happier, healthier, and a better mom during the time I do spend with my son. Going to work allows me to exercise my brain, connect with other people, and feel productive, which are all important pieces of my identity that I missed while on maternity leave. Returning to work was the right decision for me because each day it helps me to feel more like my “old self,” and afterwards, I’m refreshed and ready to be my “mom self” again. So while some of us are working parents by necessity (‘cause bills), and others are working parents by choice, I think we can all appreciate these 9 women who share a glimpse into their own experiences as working parents, speaking the truth about heading back to work after kids.  Let them remind you that the highs and lows of being a working parent are normal, and that you are most definitely not alone on this journey. [...]