Victoria Beckham has recently been quoted saying she often feels guilty about being a working mum and has to juggle like everyone else – millionaire or not!
Speaking at the Vogue Festival in London she said: “It’s difficult juggling working, having the children, having a husband who travels. I do have a bit of help, I have a nanny, I can’t do it all myself.
“I really enjoy being a mum, I love them [her children] and I’d do anything for them. But I also love what I do. I think anyone who says it’s easy is lying.”
Her sentiments are shared by working mums across the globe. We have to work for one reason or another, but the guilt of leaving our children with someone else, or missing school events because of work, or always being too tired and time pressed to chat and spend as much time with the kids is all too real.
So does the guilt ever go? The answer is no, but here are some important things to know:
Childcare can be a good thing for children
Social skills is an important developmental milestone for children and if they are hanging by your apron stings from birth to school they will miss out.
Being around other children helps children to develop socially and cognitively, and they are more advanced in this way than the children of stay-at-home mums.
You’re setting a good example
Working sets a good example to your children – it shows them why they should work at their studies and gets them thinking early on about what they want to do with their lives.
Quality time is key
Spending a solid hour a day focused purely on your child is better than a whole day ignoring them or palming them of to the TV babysitter.
Working doesn’t mean you spend no time with your children – once you realise this you’ll start to rationalise your situation and begin to enjoy your work and family.
Stay-at-home mums don’t always have the perfect life
Being a stay-at-home mum doesn’t mean spending every minute of the day with a child – many mums in this category do not do this, and sadly are often depressed, feel trapped and have low self esteem. It’s not as perfect as it looks, so don’t let anyone make you feel less of mum than you are!
