Confessions of a Guilty Working Mom

Not a day goes by, on leaving my daughter in daycare, that her little brown eyes don't well up with tears , looking up at me so sadly, reluctantly removing the buttons of her coat and stamping her feet on the floor in protest. I press my lips so hard they bleed sometimes, and force a smile on my face, telling her I'll be back soon to pick her up and take her to the park (when in reality, in most cases I barely make it home in time for bedtime).

It's a common dilemma for many mothers - going back to work after the baby. In many cases it's not a choice, but a financial necessity, yet we are filled with overwhelming guilt. Can I be a good mom and rock at my career?

The guilt, of course, is almost exclusively a female problem. I have yet to meet a Dad who expresses guilt for having to work and provide for his family. So I work, Very hard. As well as running a few volunteer networking groups such as First Thursdays Silicon Valley, giving back to the community, regular visits to Granny and all the other things that 'Momdom' entails. It's like keeping the plates spinning - needing organization, patience and co-ordination.

Like every other Mom, I end up working twice as hard in the workplace, because I face a different type of guilt there - am I putting in as much time as my non-mom colleagues? Will skipping Social Happy Hour reflect negatively on me? I'd rather be home drinking juice with my daughter… but will they think I am not a team player?

Luckily, I work for a company marketing a product that is truly servicing Moms: Recalls Plus is a fantastic new app to help busy Moms by alerting them to any recalls of their kids' stuff, including vital allergy alerts. It's a product I really believe in. But, ironically, a new type of guilt is emerging now. Why? Because I actually love what I do.


Recalls Plus
Recalls Plus

I asked my husband if I was a bad Mom for wanting to steal a precious hour on a Saturday morning to write this blog, instead of making Belgian Waffles from scratch like I usually do? My husband looked at me stupefied, "What is wrong with Eggo"?

Of course, a good Mom would probably take this opportunity to educate him on all the facts associated with why one must avoid processed food, but instead, I grab our video camera and our daughter, and head out to combine motherhood, playdate and work in this fun new video, tp://bit.ly/GJLIMr . Check it out, and let me know if I have a future in Hollywood.

Any thoughts on dealing with "motherhood guilt" would also be greatly appreciated.