What do you want to do when you grow up? What are you doing with your life? I have to admit that up until a little over a year ago, I was still trying to figure out the answers to these questions.
There is an easy answer to this question: I’ve always wanted to be a writer. I even graduated from SFSU with a degree in creative writing, hoping to make that dream a reality. But the opportunity just wasn’t there. I made the hard decision to put my writing on the back burner to focus on my full-time job, being a doggie day-care camp counselor.
Building a Career
Camp Run-A-Mutt was my home away from home. Ask anyone who knows me, I’ve always been an animal lover. So, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that I loved getting to work with dogs all day. I won’t romanticize it though; it wasn’t all puppy cuddles and kisses. It was hard manual labor. Although, the dogs always found a way to put a smile on my face. That was one of the best environments I have ever worked in.
We were a family, a “cramily,” as we called it. I could see that if I was patient and persistent there were advancement opportunities there. This could be my new dream. And so, it was. I worked my way from camp counselor to training and scheduling coordinator to front desk manager. My career was thriving.
To Be or Not to Be?
Then in the fall of 2017 I found out I was pregnant. And there were new questions to face. Would I just take maternity leave and be a working mom? Or would I leave my career behind and become a stay-at-home mom? It wasn’t an easy decision. There was a lot of flip-flopping going on in my head. I was finally right where I wanted to be in my career. And the thought of giving all that up scared me. But in the end, it was that fear that made me realize it was the right thing to do. Like Mandy Hale said, “It’s okay to be scared. Being scared means you’re about to do something really, really brave”.
Stressful, Yet Satisfying
And now, I have to say that being a stay at home mom is by far the hardest job I have ever had. But right now, I wouldn’t trade it for anything. There are days that I want to rip my hair out. Some days I long for just five minutes to myself. There are days I think this is impossible. Then, there are days I feel so frustrated I could cry. But watching my daughter change and grow daily has been the most rewarding experience. Her smile and her laugh cause all the stress to just melt away. Plus, by some miracle, being a stay-at-home mom has helped me pick up my writing again.
And I can’t end this article without giving a huge shoutout to my husband, without whom this wouldn’t be possible. You have given me the greatest opportunity, honey, and I’m not sure I’m ever going to be able to repay you.
This gig is the most difficult job I can remember having. But for the first time I’m exactly where I need to be. I’m doing exactly what I’m supposed to be doing.
