Nothing terrifies me more than returning to the workplace.

A workplace where,

likely but hopefully not,

work and clients will have to come first,

and family, well, if you have and are "into" those,

it must come second.

A workplace that I hope to God won't make me guilty if ever my kids are sick,
or I receive a call that requires me to drop everything and get to them.

A workplace full of coworkers ready to judge and openly critique my every decision, move, and output or what they perceive as a lack thereof.

A workplace that will stress me out and offer little to no time to adequately cope with the stress it is causing.

A workplace that requires my commitment while I'm already overcommitted.

For the past seven years,

ever since my father passed,

I've been out of that kind of workplace.

And for all of those seven years,

I've been raising

one,

two,

and now three babies into the stellar 9, 6, and 4-year-olds they are today.

I've complained about the work of a parent, too, no doubt, but at the end of each long day, I don't have to worry about

being shamed,

getting fired,

or explaining my priorities to anyone.

When I return to work, as expected in the Fall of 2021, so long as corona has hightailed its biscuit out of here and our lives, I'm going to find a job that not only accepts but respects its place in my life as fifth fiddle to the humans I'm blessed enough to share mine with.

Maybe that job is out there, but perhaps it isn't.

All I know is that this mama is hellbent on
finding or crafting myself a *non-sales* paying-job that respects and honors my role in this world as a wife and mother first and an employee, second.

Or working for a company that values balance and freedom for their employees, is forwarding thinking and incorporates work-life integration.

I never want to feel torn between leading a successful and fulfilling life at work and one at home.

Here's a call to action,

for places of business and employers to make what you might see as a risky investment in hiring a woman who has kids to fill any open positions,

and to do so with confidence and without qualms.

I can guarantee you that for however long she's with you, so long as she has your respect, understanding, and support, you'll get yourself a human who is

hella patient,

open-minded,

creative,

persistent,

intelligent,

talented,

and hardworking--almost, but not quite, to a fault.

Women who are mothers make the best damn employees because we know how to relate to people, and we know how to problem-solve.

Now, why don't you relate to this mama and help solve my problem by being a company that stands with, up, and for women like me?

Hire me and commit to promoting flexibility, family, health, and a sense of purpose, and I'll be damn proud to work for and alongside you.

But not quite yet.

Soon, world. Soon.

And remember — you expect me to be a diligent employee, but me, I expect you to be a decent human.

Here’s hoping we can meet each other’s expectations.