Hello friends, and welcome back to Mummy Tales where I share different motherhood stories by Kenyan moms. In case you missed the last story of Betty Mueni, a mom who is still going through complications from a Caeserean section, you can read it here. Today I feature the story of one mom who quit her high-paying job, and who says she had good reasons for it. This is her story:
“I had always wanted to have a well-paying job, and when I was finally headhunted for one, I was ecstatic. The job was slow at first, and only paid based on the hours one worked. With time, as the clientele grew, the hours grew as well, and so did the pay. It reached a point where I made so much money that I was even able to comfortably support a friend who was going through a rough time. I supported her with weekly shopping and upkeep, and I never had to ask my husband for money.
Then along came a long-awaited pregnancy. One that I had prayed for earnestly. But the pregnancy was a difficult one. My colleagues only saw me after the first trimester was over because I had kept myself hidden in a workspace where I could gag, drink my lemon water and eat my ginger cookies in peace. I had terrible terrible nausea.
Anyway, as time went on, I realized one thing – I could not continue with the job after the baby was born. The workload was just too much (even before I got pregnant it was still a lot but I managed). I got more and more tired every day, and the work just became harder and harder. All this time the money was still rolling in (lots of it actually). Shopping for the baby and booking for delivery in a private hospital was not a problem at all.
But I just couldn’t do it.
I eventually tendered my resignation and though my boss was disappointed, she understood. I then proceeded on maternity leave, never to return, having left the most lucrative gig I had ever had.
What informed my decision? Well, I had an older daughter at the time, and I hardly saw her because of my job. I would drop her at school on the way to work, and would get home just as she was finishing her homework and dinner. While pregnant, I was always too tired to sit with her, leaving her to the nanny.
As most kids would, she reacted, even punching my tummy hard one day. My long hours were not helping her one bit. I remember for almost one year, I couldn’t tell what my daughter’s life was all about as I was absent in her life because I was always working.
Something had to give – and it was the job. Though there was the option of flexi time for a few months after returning from my maternity leave, I knew that once I resumed normal working hours, I would have to leave both my children under the prolonged care of the nanny as I worked. I felt as though the job was standing in the way of parenting my children the way I desired. So I gave it up.
It’s been seven years since.
I must admit that sometimes I still look back with nostalgia remembering how ‘loaded’ I was those days. But not once have I ever regretted my decision.
Nowadays, I do consultancies that allow me to spend time with my two children, though of course they do not pay as much as the job I quit. I’ve never gone back to regular employment despite receiving a few enticing offers which I’ve turned down. The loss of income is nothing compared to watching my children grow and spend time with them.”
What do you think about this mom’s decision? How about you? Have you ever faced a situation as a mother, where you had to make a difficult decision? You can email me on maryanne@mummytales.com with your story.
Thanks for reading. You may also like to see the video below.
Mummy Tales is a blog that contains lots of helpful articles that will help you navigate your motherhood journey. Feel free to search the blog for other experiences of Kenyan moms that may teach you a thing or two. You can also follow me on Facebook, You Tube, Twitter and Instagram.
*Image by Bokang Ratsuba from Pixabay
