As the time came for me to return to work, these friends, mostly moms, rallied around me for support. I received so many Facebook messages and texts as I prepared myself to head back to work. They had all been there. It had sucked. They survived. Their kids did too. Those little messages were like a chorus of virtual pep talks and cheers for me as I second guessed my decision and planned our latest version of normal.
As Monday morning loomed on the horizon, I approached it with dread and fear. What ended up happening was one of the most humbling experiences of my life. I walked into the office and instead of hearing "is it tough to be back?" or "how did it feel to leave your baby?", I heard "I'm thinking about you today" or "It really sucks, but it gets easier" or "How are you holding up?". Suddenly, I saw the women in my office in a whole new light. I realized that they had been in my shoes, some more recently than others.
These women all understood how I was feeling and knew that I was doing my best to hold it together. Instead of making jokes, they offered advice and hugs and sympathy, which truly made my day bearable. I even received a beautiful bouquet of flowers from my boss.
When you transition from a stay at home mom to a working mom, you enter into a community of women who understand and who have all been there. Their support not only helps me get through the work day, but it helps me get through the evenings as Baby B adjusts to his new normal.
They say that it takes a village to raise a child, apparently in my case, it takes a CUBE village to support a working mom. Now that I know what it takes, my plan is to pay it forward as it was paid to me.
1 comment:
I feel ya babe! I still have days where I want to call in sick because she is being super snuggly in the morning.
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