Either I’ve become a lot less tolerant, more confident or just plain tired of the “working mom” and “stay-at-home mom” debate. That wasn’t always the case. As a new mother returning to the workforce, I was very concerned about coming back to work—my job at Yahoo! changed, I had a new manager, new VP and put my 6-month old into day care. I was an emotional wreck, trying to keep it all together and wondering when it would all get easier. Living in San Jose at the time, most all my new-mothering friends were in the same boat—we all returned to work. Partly because we had to, mostly because we wanted to. It didn’t seem odd to me to do otherwise, as I really felt Yahoo! was a great place to be. Although, no chance of joining a “mom’s group” or scheduled playdates at the park in the middle of the day.
So that was nine years ago. I have two beautiful, independent daughters, now 4th and 2nd graders. Since then, my husband and I relocated to the Sacramento area and let’s just say it took me a year to assimilate, and the last few years to realize that, unfortunately, there is still an unhealthy divide between “working” and “stay-at-home” moms. We joke that we moved to “Pleasantville”, where people intentionally move so someone (usually the mom) can stay home. Except us. Here’s the thing—I made the conscious choice to continue working—and take pride in what I do. I feel incredibly fortunate to have found a role within Yahoo! and a manager that is supportive of a remote work arrangement. It’s definitely not the norm, and given me opportunities to be creative, travel internationally and launch an award-winning website. (more…)
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