The silent legion of stay-at-home mums (well some do make themselves heard loud and clear) know all too well that only those
in their shoes can ever really appreciate their labour of love.
I speak from experience! The very notion of being dependent on one''s spouse was far removed from my mind till my firstborn''s arrival. Sheer desperation at not finding a "good enough" nanny and panic at the thought of someone else besides me witnessing my toddler''s first steps or even first tooth; made me take the plunge!
Starting from ground zero without family nearby to offer a helping hand, it was a steep climb up the learning curve. My husband stood by with strong words of support albeit the odd snigger as I quickly gave up idealistic notions of feeding baby only "wholesome" food at every meal. When she took her first steps I cheered as if a new Olympic record had been set. I was convinced my little Einstein would stun the world with her brilliance. Her masterpiece of "smudged handprints", her first time reading by herself, even her first time making it to the bathroom before nature unleashed its force- all events to be remembered.
It was a case of what doesn''t kill you makes you
stronger" and both my daughter and I learnt to get along, find allies in each other and basically build a bond that I would not have exchanged for all the promotions in the world!
Sure I missed the social interaction at work; there''s only so much a 3-year old can offer when you feel like discussing world events! And yes the joy of seeing your bank balance increase through your own endeavours does make a case for itself.
Yet in these deperate times of collapsing family structures, I think the
argument for stay-at-home mums is stronger than ever. Looking back three kids later and a freelance "career" under my belt... it was all worth it. Call it divine providence; I think i did find my calling after all.