JulieLeung.com: a life told in tidepools

Mothers, let’s unionize! If only we had benefits…like sick time. Last week I caught a bad cold and now my two year old and I have pink eye. Our insurance coverages are sufficient and I’m not hoping for a pension, retirement account or many other perks that can come with employment and union membership. However, I could use some sick time. Especially with Ted traveling, I wish for moments of rest, a break from bath supervision at night or dinner dish duty, ways my husband usually helps me. During weeks like this one, when I drag myself through the day, I imagine what mothering could be, if it were a paid position. Flipping through a copy of Fast Company and skimming an article on motivation – or rather, demotivation (not on-line yet) – encouraged me to consider what keeps me going. These weeks of sickness and isolation discourage me the most as a mom.

Where are the benefits of motherhood? I am finding them here and there, in bits and pieces as I try to relax, despite the difficulties. When we play guessing games at dinner and hide-and-seek in the house. When I go to wake my daughter from her nap and she smiles up at me, sleepy and happy, looking at me with her eyes, one healthy and one pink, like mine, I know I have something. I might not have sick or vacation time to relieve me from my responsibilities. But I have many benefits. More than I can count.

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Note:

Since I wrote this piece, I’ve started to feel better. I read Jenny’s post from her Tuesday and wondered why I was complaining! Little gifts from the kids and friends, acts of kindness and care, have helped me too.

I was able to find some time to polish and publish posts…more to come…