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Home > Blogs > Adventures in Motherhood > Archives > 2010 > April > 19 > Entry
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.
Permalink | Comments (4) | Post your comment | Categories: Motherhood Column
Comments
By Steel Hyaena
May 14, 2010 1:56 AM | Link to this
Parents that do what you obviously did, and plan for contingencies, are not the ones that bother me. I am childfree by choice and happen not to like children at all… but even I am sympathetic to a parent who is having a hard time—IF said parent is clearly doing all they can. Unfortunately, all too many people these days ignore the seat-kicking, the screaming, the tray-table slamming, etc, etc, and then become angry when one says, politely, ‘Would you please have your child stop kicking the back of my seat? It’s really bothering me.’ Once or twice, I can deal with it, but I literally had a small boy kick the back of my seat from Cleveland, OH to Ontario, CA. And the mom got nasty with me for asking her to correct the behavior rather than slurping down booze.
By Cute
April 22, 2010 11:56 AM | Link to this
I loved this piece! So well said! I couldn’t agree with you more. I feel the same at times when I have my kids in public; however, I appreciate it from all aspects as I am a working mother.
By I'm a working Father
April 20, 2010 11:40 AM | Link to this
Being a working father is also a worthy profession. Fathers work, share in household duties, and actively participate in raising children. Just beacause we are men doesn’t mean we don’t get involved in the house or with our children. I am not discounting a mother’s contribution but the father’s role is always underestimated and underappreciated. I am tired of reading articles about validating a woman’s worth and not mentioning the father. It is a team effort.
By Diana
April 20, 2010 8:33 AM | Link to this
Oh my gosh! Perfectly written! I just flew with my 10 month old to California and it was a nightmare… I spent the whole time feeling guilty for being the woman who brough a screaming baby on a plane. Wish I would have read this before I went!