It’s Okay to Slow Down, Dear Working Mothers.

Are you struggling in your career or making a career choice right now because you are a mother? Did the thoughts “Gosh! I’m running behind compared to my peers in work,” or “I could do better if my life were like before,” haunt you often?

Image: A working mother in frustration. (Note: The image is AI-generated.)

Well, dear, please know that you are not alone. Perhaps almost all the mothers, especially working mothers, have gone through the same thoughts. And it is absolutely okay to think like this while you are still in the struggle to decide whether you are on the right track or you made the right decision or not.

You know what, sometimes it’s okay to slow down. You just have to accept that it is not always possible to achieve two incredible goals at the same time. The world and this life are all about trade-offs. That is why we need to prioritize.

And when you are a mother, you exactly know what comes first. A child’s childhood won’t stop for anyone, even if the mother is not around. They will keep growing, and the most precious period of its life when it needs the mother the most dearly, is when it is very young.

You can always restart your career after a break. You might face some difficulties initially to make a good comeback, but you can achieve it if determined. But if your child’s childhood passes by, it’s gone forever. You can never get those little hands back to hold your fingers, those tiny shaky feet to walk with you. Later, even regrets will not be able to bring those days back.

Now look, I am NOT telling you to completely leave your dreams or to take a full break until your child grows up. What I am saying is, it is okay to keep your ambitions on the ground, riding a bicycle instead of flying in the air for a while, as you are taking care of your child, because you want to spend some quality time. Especially if they are infants or toddlers, you may not feel completely safe or relieved to leave them in the daycare.

So, that one promotion, that ideal job, that handsome salary — all can wait for you to come for them after some time. But nature does not allow your child to wait for you to be the same delicate little human longing for its mother’s love, affection, and care.

And I want to hug you and say that you are a great mother. You made the right choice, and it’s absolutely okay to delay career goals while you are prioritizing your child’s mental development and bonding with them.

Happy motherhood! Love.