When I was a kid, apart from explaining me how I came to this world, my papa also had to explain me that why mummy leaves home early in the morning and I get to see her in evening only.

My mother is a working mom from last 37 years.

Today, when I am 30, I have many female friends who are working mothers and at times they feel guilty of not being with their kids and that makes me realize that my mother must have gone through the same guilt. But before she gets retired and doesn’t remain working mom, I want to tell her that how glad I am that she is a working mother and how it helped me in being a more independent woman.

It was difficult to fulfill the requirements of school like craft related assignments, events, and especially the two plaits compulsory hairstyle. Though either my brother or my papa used to help me with that, when I used to step out from home many house wives from neighborhood would express their pity for me but my father always used to explain me that how mummy loves her job and especially how beautiful I look when he does my hair. I am still not good at making my hair properly and still I know how beautiful I look with my untidy hair!

As both my the parents were working, they were quite sure that when I will be in my periods there are slim chances of them being around me; so when I was in 6^th grade they explained me how to use a sanitary pad and deal with period pain. If I am in school and it stained then how not to be afraid of it as I told them the story of one of my classmates who got in to period during school hours. I am lucky that at my home there were no restrictions imposed upon me or mummy related to menstruation.

There was a time when  my elder brother and I used to stay at home alone and we used to fight a lot but it didn’t last longer as we both needed each other and I think that’s how we learn to manage our differences, which even helps us today. When our maid did not come, it was compulsory for us to wash our own dishes and clothes so that after mom comes home, she doesn’t have to bother. Further, my brother still contributes in many household chores and it proves great relief for my working mother and my working sister-in-law.

When I lost my father, I knew if my mother didn’t have her job then it would have been really difficult for her to get back to the normal routine, but her other world – her job, her friends with whom she travels daily helped her more to come out of the grief compared to what I or any relative could do.

Though I am not a mother, whenever I found it difficult to pursue any extra course or hobby with my job, I just thought of how my mother could manage so many things along with her job!

While growing up as an individual and making my own choices in life, many a times I felt guilty that certain choices which I made in my life my mother could not make because of me. But I am glad that she chose to be a working mother as if she hadn’t then I think I could never have been so independent and capable to make those choices.

I am so lucky and grateful to mummy for being a working mom and never telling me “At your age I was a mother of two!”

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