My eldest son was born 11 years ago and I was very much a working mommy.

I loved working with people and the challenge my job presented me with every day. Going back to work after maternity leave was very hard, and the thought of leaving my baby with someone else was torturous.

We were so blessed when my mother-in-law offered to help take care of him during the day. After many discussions with my husband, we decided that I would leave my job, stay home and raise our son. I can honestly say it was one of the best decisions we ever made.  I stayed with him for one year and six months before I went back to work thereafter.

It was tough to take him to daycare every morning, as I feared that I would lose out on him being a toddler with so many milestones ahead of him, but the older he became, the easier it was.

We started trying for another baby three years later, but nothing happened.  Only seven years on, I gave birth to another baby boy we named Carter.

This time I had a nanny to help but she was not very reliable and when she didn’t pitch in for work that day,  I had to ask my boss if I could take leave because my nanny didn’t show.  It created a stressful situation and I became increasingly unhappy, and putting my baby in daycare was just not an option. My husband and I agreed once again that I would rather stay at home and raise our baby myself.

In the beginning it was hard to adapt because I was working for quite some time again and earned a decent salary.  Another struggle I had was being cut off from interacting with people on a daily basis.  I started to feel unworthy and developed low self-esteem.  I was always worried about what others might say or think of me being at home.  We had to cut expenses and give up on some of life’s little pleasures and luxuries we had gotten used to.  I couldn’t do my nails anymore, and we couldn’t just get up and go somewhere for a weekend.

I know what it feels like to choose between wanting something and needing it but today as I look back on that time, I am happy and content.  I learned to work through my loneliness and found joy in my family. My boys have grown so much and I am so proud of them. I feel blessed that I can be at home for them and with them everyday and have a cooked meal ready when they come from school.

Being at home with them is wonderful. We share many special moments and make a lot of memories together. I hope that one day they can share all those special times and their memories with their kids.

To all the mommies out there, working from home or staying at home, I would just like to say you are appreciated, you are loved, you are enough, you are beautiful, you are strong, you are the reason your children’s hearts and souls are always full. Don’t ever doubt yourself, you’re simply the best!!!!

Candice