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Monday, January 13, 2014

Chronicles of an IT Mamma- I

I had a chance to see the kids in the day care we have in our office campus. What a relief it provides to the working parents! But somehow I couldn’t help feeling concerned for kids who were not yet in their toddling stage. 

It’s been a while since I started working back after becoming a mother. I have the luxury to choose between work and not to work, thanks to the support by my family. So I choose to work to be active and updated though the salary part sometimes makes me greedy too. The choice allows me to be happy. After all, a happy mother raises a happy child. Being a mother brings a lot of responsibility. And I have understood that the first three years every child deserves the full-day company of one of the parents. Had it not been the support of my parents-in-laws who shower their love on my daughter, I would have happily stayed back home to make my daughter comfortable in this world. Thankfully, granny is just like a second mother to her and grandpa dotes on her better than her father :P.

I decided to join back office one year after the birth of my girl when I was sure that things can be managed and my daughter would not have to suffer at all. That was my part of the story. The industry demand full 8 hours’ work. The problem to me was not putting 8 or 10 hours but to be away from my daughter for almost whole day. There is an arrangement at home but I can't and should not run away from the duties bestowed upon me as a mother. My previous company demanded to commute to their far off campus every day for an indefinite period and spend 8 hours in the campus without any work since I was put on 'bench' while on maternity leave. I understood the reason behind the policy as people were misusing the bench period to travel to their hometowns, but failed to understand why they were not making any exceptions. Even the security guards can tell the difference between a genuine and not genuine person, but my last company HR could not. Workforce Managers told me they have lot of  'cases' like mine so they cannot make any exception. The population explosion has affected the sensibilities of the myopic visions of some managers. I figured the company was doing a silent downsizing due to its performance, so I quit. Not because I could not commute or work but I didn’t like the way I was being treated. I mean they could have directly told me company situation than to put indirect pressures. I quit for good for as a mother, I cannot afford to be the victim of my own fears. I enjoyed my time with my daughter while searching for work on my terms – flexibility- when I can be at home for any small or big reason for my daughter. I won few offers on my qualification and experience.

It’s been around 3 months since I joined another place. Thankfully, it’s working on fine as people I work with now are concerned only whether I enjoy my work and office and not whether I spend some specified office time. Life has challenges every now and then, when my daughter is sick or when her granny or grandpa is unwell and I try to balance work and home.

Like any mother, my priority is my daughter till she is at least 3 and ready to make friends with rest of the world. I enjoy work and deliver till everyone understands that. If someone sees a problem and micro manage me inspite of my efforts to manage both the world, I will not succumb, argue or fight but will be ready to quit for good again. After all, a happy child makes a happy mother!


4 comments:

  1. Every mom has to work out what works for herself...

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  2. Its sad to know that IT industry or any private sector for that matter do not understand how to deal with maternity cases and returning to work moms... Despite of so many employee friendly policies in place that they flaunt. And that's what they deserve is... Leave them when they don't understand you.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes. Some people are not good managers. Because of them employees and even companies suffer.

      Delete

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