It Isn’t Easy Being A Working Mother

March 13, 2018

Working Indian Women — Image used for representation only.

She had dreams to fulfill but her responsibilities always came in the way. Life of a working mother has never been easy.

The daily chore is hard with multiple responsibilities and shortage of time coming in the way. There are kids and a husband to look after, make sure everything is in order at home and at work. A working mother faces several challenges. We spoke to a few of them and how they manage their balancing act.

“I dreamed of becoming a businesswoman and wanted to open my own salon. But after I became a mother, my responsibility increased so much that frankly I never got the time nor the funds to re-think about it,” says Rupali Shinde.

“Yes, with a baby comes many responsibilities too. I get up around 5 am and prepare breakfast and lunch for my family, pack their tiffins and leave my son to his school van.

“Then I leave for work and come back in the evening, chat with him about his day, help him with his homework, cook dinner and sleep again. I don’t even realize when my day ends. Everything is so expensive today and both parents have to work for a good future,” she added. When it comes to getting maternity leave, letting your manager know is important. There are times where you may have unplanned absences, which is fine, but potentially with a timesheet app that your employees will love, this may be able to help stop some individuals abusing the system.

“I was on maternity leave for six months after my child was born and joined my job back recently. My mother has moved to Pune to look after her. I feed her and then leave for office and go back in the lunch hour to feed her,” says Renu Vidhani.

“Sometimes it gets hectic but I have been working for a long time now and I can’t sit idle as I am career-oriented. People who can afford should keep a cook so that a mother can spend more time with her child. Working women are not asking for paid leaves but job security after they conceive. Also one should look for jobs which can be done from home,” she added.

“I was expecting when I was in my Second Year of Post Graduation. I faced a miscarriage earlier so I didn’t wanted to avoid this child and also if fate wanted me to expect while my Masters was on I was happy with it,” says Dr Mansavi Salanki.

“I faced a lot of challenges. I had to attend classes then had to come back and feed my child and study to look for grades.

“Also I had complications at the time of pregnancy and so I went for complete bed rest. I started working after she was a year old. As my timings are adjustable so i try completing my work while she is in school,” she says.

“Apart from maternity leave working mothers should get assistance to work from home for at least two months after the leave ends. Also in the early days after of re-joining, women should be provided with an accommodation near to the office so that they can be for their child “says, Vijay Kulkarni, Branch Manager, Lokmanya Multipurpose Society.

“I am a maid and I have been working since forever now. After my labour, the hospital discharged me in three days, I took rest for a day and started my job from the next day,” says Meena, a maid.

“Being a working mother is very difficult and it’s a necessity at least in my case. I still remember that I washed buckets of clothes of the members in my house on the day I faced labour pain, and when the pain increased I took an auto to the hospital.

“My husband was addicted to liquor so assistance from him was never expected and this also led to his early death. I educated my children as I didn’t want them to face what I did. My mother used to look after them when I went to work. All my in-laws expired soon.

“I always wished to stay with my children, but at the same time I also use to fear about them as they were too small. But that worry can’t fill the stomach.

“I have starved for days and survived only on tea as the food I got, I saved it for my children. Now both my daughters are happily married but my work doesn’t end with this. I have loans of their marriage to pay back. A delivery doesn’t end a mother’s job but it actually starts everything,” she adds.