The Working Mom

This weekend 3rd born lasted 24 hours on her Brass Monkey Scout Camp and came home a night early.  That was all fine, her and her little friend both said they felt unwell but I’m thinking it was more to do with being bloody exhausted, cold and muddy!

What was very hard to deal with though was her phone call to me late last night on her return.  I was halfway through a 16 hour shift and still had another 8 hours of a nightshift to do.

Little sobbing tears “I want you to come home Mommy” 😢

On one end of the scale I wanted to do nothing more than get in my car and come home to comfort her – and I know there would be folk out there who would come out with that old raspberry “nothing is more important than my child – I would have left and been there”

But – sometimes it’s really not that simple.

Last night in my work capacity I was responsible for 9 vulnerable adults – I couldn’t just “get in my car and go home to my crying child” even though my child is clearly more important than anything else.

3rd born was safe and warm at home with her Dad and family.  If I ran out of my job every time any one of my children requested I would no longer have a job – and as a consequence – they wouldn’t have a roof over their head and a full tummy!

I’ve always worked – from the age of 14 – I’ve always worked.  I work because I have to – to pay the mortgage and bills.  I’m fortunate to do a job that I love.  But even if money was not an issue – I would still work – because this gives me a sense of self- respect and pride.  I’m healthy and intelligent – why would I chose not to work and not offer something back to society?

I hope I have taught my children a good work ethic and that you shouldn’t get something for nothing in this world – if you want something you must work for it.

I hope they are secure enough of my love to never, ever, feel second best to anything or anybody in my life but also realise that I have a responsibility in other areas of my life outside the home.

Course I’ve told her I’m not going to work tonight – I’m staying home with her instead – which has given us both a little warm fuzzy feeling inside ❤️