Last week I missed my son’s first day of Kindergarten.
I was traveling for work. It was hard. As I write this, I feel that I am trying to justify.
I am not justifying. I am acknowledging what many women face. Trade-offs.
I recently read a Forbes article which claimed that women become more ambitious and prioritize high-profile careers when there are few men around. When men are present, women prioritize family over career. In private, these same women desire similar workplace outcomes as men. Women also publicly report more life goals than men, wanting to excel at family and career. This suggests women experience internal and external pressure to trade career for family.
And so for us who decide to work, we face trade-offs every day.
We can’t do it all. It is ok.
Let’s talk about it. Let's not judge.
It was amazing how much understanding I felt as my eyes teared up seeing my boys off to school on FaceTime.
It’s ok. We need to push away the guilt.
It is interesting that I feel inspired and empowered by successful female leaders, yet ironically I often feel defeated (self-inflicted) by “successful” moms.
There is no standard.
It’s ok.
Read, share or comment on this post via LinkedIn HERE