I wrote a post a couple of weeks ago that a few of you were kind enough to comment on. It was considering some of the realities of thinking about baby no 2 and was mainly around home based practical concerns like big enough houses.
This week I feel like the working Mum challenges are front of mind, if we’re going to have another baby is there really a good time for me career wise. Its really hard to do my role part time and its not ideal for me or my employer so is it best to have another babe asap and then go back to the career later when I can give it my all? Lots rhetorical questions and we’re only 2 paragraphs in, sorry!
It does amuse me when TV and radio debates rage around maternity rights for women. The British Vogue Editor Alexandra Shulman was on Women’s Hour on Radio 4 last week debating on an entirely different topic but was quizzed by the female presenter on her openly held views on maternity rights in business. I’ve linked an interview with her here as whilst I don’t 100% agree with her she has some interesting views that ring true. http://bx.businessweek.com/the-glass-ceiling/view?url=http%3A%2F%2Fc.moreover.com%2Fclick%2Fhere.pl%3Fr2323058415%26f%3D9791 I do find it dissapointing that she is critiqued for pointing out realities. It simply is very difficult to work full time and be a mother to young children.
Is it a decision between furthering my career and growing my family? I suspect its a lot more complicated than that and a big part of me thinks that 10 years on things could be very different. The hubby met a woman last week (for his job just to be clear) that had her two children at around my age and 10 years later at the grand old age of 42 was right at the peak of her career. (She has a very sexy branded senior marketing job in the beauty industry). She felt that having kids earlier than was normal for her peer group, in her late 20’s early 30’s had allowed her to take time out with the kids pre-school age and then really refocus on her career once they were a bit bigger. I found this really encouraging but it also made me consider whether my career is the right career for me. I have outperformed my peer group financially and am respected in what I do. How fulfilled am I? Its hard to say but I do feel the need to blog too.
What I am undoubtedly fulfilled by is being a Mum. And that’s the best reason to have another baby I can think of.
babychangedme 