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Monday, April 19, 2010
Being a mom is a first-class-worthy career, too
Air travel is far from simple these days; let alone with three children.
Our spring break trip this year required four airplanes - two there, two back.
At the airport we unloaded three large suitcases, three car seats, two carry-on bags and five people.
We got our seat assignments and proceeded to the security line. We had eight pair of shoes, four plastic bags, two carry on bags, a stroller, three jackets, my purse and ourselves scanned.
Fortunately, all went smoothly - albeit a bit slow.
I breathed a sigh of relief while we put our shoes and jackets on and stuffed the baby back into her stroller. Off to the gate we went to board our first flight.
My nerves were a little on edge, as this would be our daughter’s first airplane ride.
I had prepared eight feedings for her and stuffed enough diapers in her bag for a day-and-a-half. You never know when you’ll get stuck on a tarmac for ten hours.
The first leg of our trip took about 30-minutes. The baby did well except for a little fussiness during the decent.
While waiting for the next flight, my husband, who is adorned with airline miles from his many travels for work, informed me he’d had my ticket upgraded to first class so I would have more room with the baby. He’d sit in the back with the boys.
“What a guy,” I thought lovingly and thanked him.
Soon, we boarded the plane. I looked at the cushy first class seats with lots of elbow room. “This will be great,” I thought.
But, my stomach dropped when I realized I was surrounded by business people chatting on their cell phones and tapping away on laptops.
Before I knew it, a public apology flew out of my mouth for dare having a child with me who might disrupt their work.
I prayed for a quick, uneventful flight and took my seat with my daughter on my lap.
As I sat there and looked around at the business folk, I began to ask myself, “Why is what I’m doing any less important? Why am I ‘sorry’?”
Just because my work no longer requires me to be in an office or drag a computer around, doesn’t make it any less of a career.
So, I have a job that can be noisy and messy sometimes - aren’t they all?
I began to relax a little as I held my “work” in my arms and it smiled back at me.
I like my job.
The perks and rewards can’t be matched; and those first class seats aren’t too shabby either.
Email this contributing writer at Motherhoodcolumn@yahoo.com.
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