After a year long maternity leave when my son was born I went back to work full-time. In addition to many other challenges I faced, the brutal commute with a baby at that time made my life extremely hard. I knew I had to find another way to think out of the box beyond the typical “daytime” career and use my skills and knowledge to work from home. After a second pregnancy and another long maternity leave {in the midst of creating another career for myself from home}, I officially resigned.

I soon was asked THAT question over and over, “So, when are you going back to work?” Honestly, it’s like the never ending conversation.

Directly after giving birth to baby #1, it was inevitable. I had to go back to that full-time position with a brutal commute because financially, we had no other choice. Sometimes (whether we like it or not) we have to do what we have to do. But here’s the thing…

We are well educated women. We spent a ton of money to get into great schools and we are still paying off student loan debt.

We are hard working women, beginning steadfast careers in our fields prior to having babies.

We are incredibly strong women, making sacrifices and choices that are right for us because when it comes to motherhood as I’ve said before, it’s NOT one size fits all – it’s the size that fits YOU and your family.

Along with these difficult career and family choices that we made, we somehow still get bombarded with that question. I have resigned almost two years ago and I still get asked, “When are you going back?”

Back?

Back to what?

To a job that no longer “fit” me and my family?

A job that also came with a three hour round trip commute?

No, I am not going back.

And then the next question rolls in, “Well, are you ever going to go back?”

Quite frankly, I am always taken back by this question because it makes me feel as though I am not doing enough. Even though I contribute financially to the running of this household and put food on the table, this question makes me feel as though it’s not enough because I didn’t return to the traditional workforce. I am “working from home” and so therefore it is perceived that I don’t have a “real” job.

So to those that continue to ask me that question, my response is always the same. I am doing a pretty damn good job of earning a paycheck and raising my kids at the same time.

It’s on my terms.

I made this situation work.

I worked hard to figure this thing out and I balance this whole WAHM thing daily. It’s a decision I made and I am grateful for.

As I wrote in this post EVERY mom is a hard working mom. I think some people forget that there are women who choose to become a SAHM because THAT is what brings them pure joy and those that choose to work out of the home do so because it’s where they are most happy. I don’t pass judgment on any other mom because I don’t know what ultimately makes them happy, I don’t know their financial situation, nor do I know the needs and wants of their family.

But, what I do know is that if a mother makes a conscious decision to leave corporate America or that job they fought so hard to obtain, then there are some real concrete reasons involved in making that decision and whatever they are doing now, they ARE doing enough. Just because they “are not going back” doesn’t make them any less of a woman or mother.

Yes, I resigned from my position almost two years ago and as of right now, I have no intention of returning.

And what I am doing right now is enough – just ask one of my kids.