No matter how hard you attempt to keep your professional life separate from your family responsibilities, they inevitably intertwine like the relentless ebb and flow of ocean tides. When I returned to work last year, determined to embrace my role as a career-driven woman, I overlooked the lasting impact that years of full-time motherhood had on my identity. You might leave the house, but the essence of being a mom remains. Here’s a list of amusing indicators that you are, in fact, the mom in the workplace:
- You grab a random piece of scrap paper during a meeting, only to discover you’re taking notes on the chicken pox and lice alert from your child’s school. “What are you writing on? OH NO! Does anyone else feel itchy?!”
- You find yourself using a pen topped with a wild-haired troll as an eraser—not for irony, but because it’s the only working pen in your bag. (I’ve resorted to using crayons, scented markers, and even #2 pencils. Why do the kids insist on using the troll pen while my black Bic remains untouched?)
- At times, you mistakenly refer to your team as your kids.
- You employ your best toddler crisis management techniques to soothe an upset coworker. “Shhh, let’s sit over here and have a little snack. Feeling better now? That’s my good boy!”
- In the heat of the moment, you call out 15 names while addressing a colleague, including those of your children, pets, and even a few cartoon characters. “Billy, Sandy, Dora, Peter Rabbit—oh, whatever your name is, you forgot your notebook!” (Maybe it’s no coincidence you sometimes refer to your team as your children.)
- You secretly rejoice when your coworkers are nursing hangovers from a night out, as it means you’re no longer the only one in the office sporting bags under your eyes. (Will our kids ever learn to sleep through the night? Right?!)
- You often find yourself staying late at work, as it’s the only place where you can enjoy some peace and quiet. (Shoutout to my daycare for staying open until 6 PM!)
- On that note, you actually look forward to Mondays because it means returning to a space where you can finally find some tranquility.
- While everyone else chats about the latest TV shows, you’re the sole person who mentions “Nick Jr.”
- When management needs a project completed with no notice, budget, or supervision, you’re the first person they turn to. (After juggling two kids, two schools, fourteen extracurricular activities, a household, and a spouse, what’s one more project?)
Perhaps being the office mom isn’t such a bad gig after all.
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In summary, the blend of motherhood and professional life can create humorous and relatable moments, revealing how the experience of being a mom permeates our work environments in unexpected ways.