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On Tuesday, March 21st, I recognized and celebrated my oldest daughter's 18th birthday. It's still hard to imagine that Viktoria can't be here, physically, to celebrate such a milestone birthday.
As I celebrated her birthday, I began to reflect on my experience of being a working mom. I remember struggling with balancing work, starting my corporate training career, going to college, and married life. I had difficulty with childcare options and availability. At 21 years old, I struggled mentally, physically, and spiritually with where I was as a working mom and where I wanted to be. Unfortunately, 7 months and 29 days after giving birth to Viktoria, she died from Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.
You can say that I gained so much but lost so much in less than a year. But, I learned some valuable lessons from being her mom. And as time progressed, I had the blessing of having four more girls, years later.
As I celebrate Viktoria's 18th birthday, I want to share with you the 18 lessons I have learned as a working mom. Let me know if these resonate with you.
give yourself grace
take advantage of every moment (the best moments are not captured on video/camera)
make yourself a priority
you are the first female role model your daughters will ever encounter
read and learn more about the world and share your findings with your children
don't allow daycare challenges to stop you from achieving your goals (bring your kids with you)
unconventional support is always available
don't say no to yourself
your feelings matter, express them
grow as your children grow
your kids are not an excuse for you to not achieve your life and career goals
time is precious, make it count
don't stop yourself from progressing because others around you have stopped
your friend circle will change, adapt to the change
other working moms are your best friends
share your best kept secrets with others, someone else is struggling and can benefit from your success
don't be afraid to tell your story, no matter how many times you've said it - its your story
those closest to you may not get your anxiety, but a therapist can help you manage through it
life will never be how you planned it
your confidence will grow as you step outside of your comfort zone
Remember you are a talented, multi-passionate, and priority-driven
working mom. Nothing can stop you.
Happy 18th Birthday Viktoria Rachelle Amor Wilson!
Sincerely,
Your Mom, Latika S. Vines