Babies' names and ages:
Aby (9), Jono (4) and Adam is 20 months.
Where do you live in South Africa?
Johannesburg.
Did you work before you had a baby?
Yes.
Why did you decide to continue working?
To be able to do as much as I can for my children. Working from home helps if I need to do things for them.
Was it by choice or was it a financial decision?
By choice.
How old was your baby when you started working again?
One year old.
How long did you have maternity leave?
I was working as a call center agent and due to stress almost had a miscarriage. I resigned and have been home since then.
How did you feel when you had to start working again?
I was all right with it.
How important is a career for you?
I see it as equal. Most wait until late 30’s for kids. You can, there is no “clock”. Be sure of what you want.
How do you balance it all?
Try to make a system or lists, that really helps.
Did you breastfeed while working?
Yes.
Where does your baby stay during the day?
Pre-school.
What is your working hours?
Being a mom ... the second I wake up to the second I fall asleep.
How does it make you feel? (Meaning, do you feel a sense of self - that you do something for yourself?)
I feel I have a responsibility.
What is the most rewarding part of your day?
Having Hubby home, resting, having the kids play and eating ... eventually sleeping. This all means they are ok and happy. Then it all starts all over again the next day.
Do you have help at home?
No.
Is it more of a challenge to work from home than to work from an office?
I am lucky to have the office at home. I can cope with it. For those that can’t, take a second, breathe ... you will be ok.
Also read the story of this working mom as part of the Change Exchange on Brightrock. She says: "Working mothers incur an “energy debt” in the first four to six years of their children’s lives. We go into the ‘red’ and don’t acknowledge or even recognise it, beyond the feeling of exhaustion. Everyone, ourselves included, just expects us to get on with it."