I didn’t want to go back. There, I said it. After each of my four boys, I didn’t want to go back. And no, it’s not because I didn’t love my job. I adored my job. I spent all my twenties and the early part of my thirties chasing my dream, and guess what? I caught it. But I didn’t want to go back because I’d become a mother.
And before you start getting judgey, trust me—I was judgey too. Before motherhood, I didn’t get it. I didn’t understand it. I couldn’t comprehend it. Scratch that—I didn’t even see it. I didn’t acknowledge the seismic shift my body, mind, and life had endured for over a year. (Side note, that scientific term is matrescence, a birth of a mother and patrescence, a birth of a father.)
My thirties became a juggling act: growing my family, working, and chasing that utterly ridiculous concept of “work-life balance.” Spoiler alert: there is no balance. There are only choices. You make decisions in each moment to create some semblance of normalcy— decisions made in the moment to keep things from falling apart. Sometimes you nail it. Sometimes you’re handing your three-year-old your Lean Cuisine after a 30-hour hospital shift because that’s all you’ve got left in the tank. And sure, you’ll spiral down the rabbit hole of what ifs when you’re exhausted and vulnerable. But at the end of the day, you choose the best path you can at that moment.
There are two constants in life and society— breeding and capitalism. And why should capitalism support breeding? Because, at its most basic level, breeding supports capitalism (you know—future workers). If you want a deeper dive into how these two intertwine, check out The Doctor and Her Black Bag, an evidence-based book that explores the economics of maternal mortality.
Bottom line? Supporting working parents isn’t just a moral obligation anymore. It’s a smart business move. Supporting working parents isn’t just a warm, fuzzy idea anymore—it’s a strategic advantage. It drives growth, sustains industries, and creates a future workforce. Companies that figure this out aren’t just doing the “right thing”—they’re setting themselves up for long-term success.