“Working Mom” or “Stay-At-Home Mom” And Why These Labels Don’t Make Sense
Published on: September 15, 2019

What I now realize is that each mom has her own unique family and unique set of circumstances that lead to different motivations for choosing to be a certain “kind” of mom or parent.In my case, it was my emotional struggles and desire for more flexibility that led me to become a “stay-at-home / work-from-home mom.” Is that something I will tell a random stranger or an acquaintance I may meet for five minutes? No. I wouldn’t feel comfortable, and it’s a pretty weird thing to tell someone I’ve never met before. But in those 5 minutes, if it came up in conversation that I’m a “stay-at-home” mom or that I don’t work, you can bet what assumptions have been made about me. Before becoming a mom myself, I was guilty of making certain judgments and assumptions of other women around me who became moms. For example, I admired the ones who decided to continue with their corporate lives because that’s the life I envisioned for myself as a mom. And at the same time, I was unsure why any woman would choose to stay at home if she didn’t have to because I didn’t understand the complexity of the mother-child relationship. I’m not trying to be a hero and saying we should abolish society’s use of labels for the different “kinds” of moms. I understand it is used as a harmless frame of reference in most contexts. But here’s my two cents — these labels also function like the title of a book that has not been read; so be sure to read the whole story and understand the motivations of the main character before making assumptions. Each parent is on his or her own unique journey, and I think taking the time to understand these journeys is a chance to see that choosing how to parent and raise kids can’t be simplified down to labels. Image by Nathan Dumlao on Unsplash.
About the Author
Ankita Sodhia is a digital marketing consultant, lifestyle blogger, and expat mom based in Bangkok. After almost a decade in corporate marketing, Ankita launched her boutique digital marketing consultancy for the hospitality industry in 2018. As a side hustle, Ankita runs a lifestyle blog, focused on expat life with kids in Bangkok. Ankita grew up in Bangkok and now lives here with her husband, son, and dog.The views expressed in the articles in this magazine are not necessarily those of BAMBI committee members and we assume no responsibility for them or their effects. BAMBI News welcomes volunteer contributors to our magazine. Please contact editor@bambiweb.org.
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