Working Mothers’ Guilt (WMG) is the condition whereby mothers who work (who are not full-time, stay-at-home mums lovingly caring for their children during the day) compulsively feel the need to compensate for not spending enough quality time with their children by feeling terribly, horribly guilty.

My sister quoted the above and right now, I am about to go through it.  I have been thinking a lot about not feeling guilty because I am going back to work – full-time.  This means, no more SAHM (Stay at home mom) for me.   It means integrating myself back into the working world on a permanent basis.

However, I am fighting to make a balance between life, love, kids and work.  I am extremely excited to start work.  It’s at a fabulous company in a new role and I am excited to get on board whatever projects they throw at me, however, just thinking about missing when my youngest daughter will start walking (I already missed my first daughter’s first steps) makes my heartache.  But when I logically think about it, many parents miss their childrens’ first steps.  It’s the second and third and fourth steps that really count and every step after that.  It’s about spending the time you have with them in QUALITY. 

So here’s my plan moving forward.  The grandparents are nice enough to baby-sit during my work hours.  I will take them home to sleep each night (except Friday nights, because that’s couples night and reserved for my husband), and take them on weekends.  Since I have the luxury of a domestic helper, I can and will spend more time playing and reading to my kids.  You see, I’m a computer nut.  I spend a large quantity of time in front of the computer.  As a SAHM, I would sometimes sit in front of the computer and the helper would play with the kids, but this will change.  I’m probably going to be sitting in front of the computer all day at work anyways, so why continue the strain?

The bright side of employment is financial freedom.  This means that we can save up to buy a place in Canada, we can take more exotic and crazy vacations (count East Africa this year), I can finally upgrade my Palm Centro, we can finally start investing into Victoria’s education fund and a whole slew of life-improved and well-being things that requires money.  As well, I can start climbing the corporate ladder (again) and probably improve my French (since my organization is French).

So, as fair warning to my readers, I will try to post as often as I can, but probably not as often as I have or would like, but often enough that it will satisfy.  Sounds fair?  Yah, I’ll update you on how work works out.  For now, au revoir.  Guilt Free.  Just like a chocolate sundae from Mc D’s.