The End Of Mommy Sabatical... Going Back To Work.

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Now that my kids are all in school, I'm heading back to school too - just got a job teaching at a local college. It will be a great job, with the same schedule as my kids so I’ll still be there for them when they need me, and I’m even going to have time to continue my volunteer work at their school.

Just wanted to throw my experiences out there to all any stay-at-home moms who might be reading this / or anyone contemplating women’s roles etc. etc. I was a stay-at-home mom for 8 years. I put my career on hold (I have a PhD), and did a complete 180° switch in life. Colleagues raised their eyebrows at me, non-Mormon relatives questioned my new religion (I’m a convert) wondering about all the things it seemed to be taking away from me. I had to redefine who I was, and redefine what was important in life. Now I know life’s not about how smart you are, or how prestigious your titles are, or how much money you make – it’s about learning to be selfless, to give it all up for something better – of what real, genuine relationships are made up of, what it means to be a parent, to be a wife, a daughter – that family really is more important than any worldly accomplishments, and that the greatest work you will ever do really is within the walls of your own home.

Now that I have learned these lessons – or at least learned a lot of these lessons, have changed my goals in life (my biggest goals are now to see the kids married in the temple, to see them go on missions, and stay strong in their faith, rather than any career oriented goals) … Now that I can put my career in it’s proper perspective, I’ve been given what I gave up back. Lose your life, and eventually you find it again…

Anyways, I just wanted to share how precious my mommy sabbatical was to me, how I would not trade those 8 years with my children for any advancement I may have made working in universities and at national labs. For those who question the dignity, nobility, or worth of motherhood when compared to all the worldly aspirations out there – if you can manage to let go and lose your life, and I know how hard that can be, how hard it is to put everyone else first, to become an unpaid janitor when you could holding down prestigious respected positions – if you can let go and lose your life, you really can find yourself, and like Job, at the end of the day, you will be repaid a hundred fold of what you originally gave up.

Motherhood is a just a few short precious years of your very long life - there is time to do it all and be it all, just not all at once. Embrace all the seasons of your life, take joy in the journey, don't be too concerned with falling behind, see how precious the gifts that you have are, come to know what is really important in life, and then when you have your priorities all straightened out, God will give you everything that you could possibly imagine. Be patient, have hope, and above all, follow the Spirit's advice of what is most important, and what give life the most Meaning and Purpose.

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Whoops! went back to change typo in title, and reposted it. Delete this thread!