Working mums
Created | Updated Jan 28, 2002
Having been a "working mum" for 10 years, these are my cautionary observations of the drawbacks. The benefit will follow if I ever think of one.
Your head will feel like a spin drier full of spanners, and your handbag will be full of lists and forms to be filled in.
Desperate guilt will be your constant companion, guilty because you're not being a great mum, then guilty because if you take the time to be a great mum, you're not being a great employee.
Your heart will break every time your little angel asks you if you'll be able to go along and help with the swimming, "like Oliver's mummy does".
Your career will slowly grind to a halt, as your bosses notice you can't "stay late", and you'll be left out of the crowd because you can never go to the pub after work.
All your meals will taste of microwave plastic, and you will have fantasies about having time to create one of Delia's most basic poached egg recipes.
Your childcare bill probably be more than your mortgage, and don't imagine it gets any cheaper when they start school, as the "out of school" clubs cost a fortune.
Your much-awaited weekends of "quality time" with the kids will be mainly spent trying to persuade them that it's fun to get involved in housework and shopping.
You will dread Christmas, as apart from the usual stress, how are you going to have time to go to all the carol concerts/nativity plays/end of term services?
Your head will feel like a spin drier full of spanners, and your handbag will be full of lists and forms to be filled in.
Desperate guilt will be your constant companion, guilty because you're not being a great mum, then guilty because if you take the time to be a great mum, you're not being a great employee.
Your heart will break every time your little angel asks you if you'll be able to go along and help with the swimming, "like Oliver's mummy does".
Your career will slowly grind to a halt, as your bosses notice you can't "stay late", and you'll be left out of the crowd because you can never go to the pub after work.
All your meals will taste of microwave plastic, and you will have fantasies about having time to create one of Delia's most basic poached egg recipes.
Your childcare bill probably be more than your mortgage, and don't imagine it gets any cheaper when they start school, as the "out of school" clubs cost a fortune.
Your much-awaited weekends of "quality time" with the kids will be mainly spent trying to persuade them that it's fun to get involved in housework and shopping.
You will dread Christmas, as apart from the usual stress, how are you going to have time to go to all the carol concerts/nativity plays/end of term services?
