The Seven Days Diary of A Working Mom

Day 1: Setting the Scene

Dear diary...

It was 7:00 a.m., I woke up feeling great in my pajamas in my cozy downtown apartment. The iconic "Dancing in the Moonlight" by Toploader was playing in the background, signalling a beautiful day and I'm ready to crush it. 

Okay. Stop. Those are pure delulus. My reality... isn't much like it.

In the world I live in, 7:00 a.m. was a battleground. The kitchen was chaotic; coffee was brewing, toast was popping, and somewhere in the middle of cooking my phone buzzed with a meeting reminder. Then my husband barged in with his unfinished tie, frantically searching for his working bag. I handed it to him without missing a beat, a silent exchange only tight scheduled parents understood. 

In the dining room, I saw my two kids with their own activities. Canti, my ninth-grade junior high schooler, was busy packing her own lunch. In front of her was my little Rakai who was just five years old, sitting in a chair waiting for his favourite peanut butter and jelly.

As an employed mama, it always feels like I'm wearing two caps, seamlessly switching between a "work cap" and a "home cap". But it's not just about working double and having my freedom; it's about how I balance both roles with my husband, making sure our responsibilities at home are as shared as possible---a principle rooted in joint household supply.

Day 2: Breaking Stereotypes

Dear diary...

Dividing my two major responsibilities was overwhelming. Some of my relatives have made comments, questioning my decision as to why I put myself through stressful work while having a family. They always said,