Resume of a SAHM

Yes, I am a Stay-at-home-Mom... SAHM as they call it in today's parlance. I am sure there are many like me who've decided to take a break from their careers for the sake of their family (and of course because they could afford to).

Yesterday, I was wondering what a resume of a SAHM would look like. Would it include words like thought leadership and people management, multitasking and communication? Would it include the elite function of strategy and the operations? I was glad when answer to all these questions came a big YES!

If I were to start writing my resume, I think I would certainly write it something like this:

"Over 7 yrs of rich experience of working in different domains and having simultaneously managed two separate job profiles. 

Responsible for strategising and running the operations in collaboration with other family members. Skilled at effectively communicating across levels, irrespective of age, gender and relationships. A proactive being who likes to plan and organise things well in advance, who likes to be prepared for most eventualities and who can, at times stand out of the situation and function like a third party observer. 

Not afraid of learning, I am a person who'll never shy from accepting mistakes and learn from them. A person who appreciates straightforwardness and simplicity, I like to keep things precise and clear - be it any conversation or interaction of any sort.

With around 10 yrs of professional experience in leading corporates, I am now a Stay-at-home-Mom since 18 months. Managing multiple responsibilities of running the household, upbringing of children and caring for elderly members of my family, which is a no mean task, I have come to believe that this is a more exhausting  and most rewarding job than any other in the world. This role is actually the backbone of the family; which keeps on working behind the scenes and supports other members to achieve their goals....."

In my surrounding households, I have observed that there are many women like me who've opted to run the household but do not take their role seriously. I think we should realise that it was only because our parents decided to divide responsibilities, that we are a person we are today and the place where we've reached. If both the parents had clung on to their own priorities, we would have been a mess. 

The reason I wrote this post was that, there are times when I wonder what am I doing. At that time, few moments of introspection always give me only one answer, and that answer is this post above. I feel overwhelmed at times, to think about the kind of weight this role carries. Yes, I am proud to be a Stay-at-home-Mom!

P.s: this post is not meant to demean anyone who is in a different situation than the one mentioned above. It is not the intention of the writer to negate any efforts that working mothers take for managing their families. I say this because I've been there too.

It's my birthday!!

Yes, it's my birthday today. I just turned 34 (yup, I am not embarrassed to reveal my age) and I am very very excited!

Birthdays have always been a very special day for me... Those days of childhood when my mother stitched me a new dress and baked a delicious cake and those days in the hostel when my friends would literally pounce upon me to give me birthday bumps (yes, I was quite lighter in those days ;)) and those days at work when almost entire office would turn up to say Happy Birthday... Oh my and how could I ever forget the lovely birthdays spent with my husband... His candid confessions of not being able to plan surprises but taking me out for shopping and giving me a total free hand (well, I am a privileged one and get this even on normal days.. A free hand while shopping. Does that make you jealous?)... 

And you don't know, I get to celebrate my birthday twice!! Yes, you read it right... TWICE! Didn't I tell you I was priviledged? I celebrate my birthday on 25th Oct and Dhanteras (I was born on the day of Dhanteras)... And all my family, friends and everyone wishes me twice! 

So... Still today I long for my birthday to come and start counting days when October  begins. I keep imagining what all gifts I'll get and what should I wear and what all I'll do. Although I am a bit of serious person on other days, this is one day when the child inside me comes out hopping, skipping and jumping!!! 

Yaaaayyyyy, it's my birthday today.. Happy birthday to me 😊

Farewell!! One more time...

Three months back, I stood at the same place on International Airport, Mumbai, bidding farewell to my brother.... Teary eyed but hopeful, gloomy but happy for my kid brother.. Full of mixed emotions....

After 3 months, I am at the same place, waving off one more bird flying out of the nest...  With same emotions wrenching my heart!!

For me, I share a very deep and a mystical bond with my brother... May not look like the ones that other brother sister duo would share... I have rather a more motherly approach to him as he is so much younger to me!

And so, when my brother left abroad for his studies, I felt as if my kid was parting from me...

         

While I was thinking about this, my kid brother probably was already thinking of the future that lay ahead.... Not that he didn't already miss the family but then, for him it was the big world waiting outside. 

How things change... A toddler who was running around me has suddenly grown up, living on his own and trying to make his mark... Suddenly, I am feeling old and lonely :(

However, I have more reasons to be happy :)... The birds who flew out have spread their wings wide. It won't be long before they scale more and more heights!

P.S: by the way, I wrote this one when I went to see off my brother's very very close friend who is more like a family to us.

Finally!!!

So, finally the monsoons are here. Everyone has waited for over a month for the Rain Gods to bless us and when have actually blessed us with the pouring rain, no one's really complaining about the traffic snarls and the waterlogged roads (albeit only in some areas).

Finally everyone and everything, even our dear planet Earth seems to have cooled off from what felt like an eternal heat wave!

Thank you God for showering upon us those very necessary drops of life. The Indian farmer can now look forward to something if not an excellent crop... And we can just hope that food prices will not inflate as much we feared... But then it's just the hope and I live on HOPE!

Walking hand in hand :)

The title of this post may look like I was out on a super romantic walk at night... But that wasn't the situation!!

Yesterday was a time when we - I, Harsh (my husband) and our little angel Ira walked together hand in hand... We on each side of Ira and holding her hands... It looked right of a family album except for the place... We walked down a dusty,well trodden railway platform.

What a time we had!! We had gone to Dadar station to see off my parents and took Ira along with. While going back home, Ira waved good bye to almost every train that zoomed by and kept on looking for that one crow which she'd seen some time back :) (believe me, she gets super excited looking at any crow, cat or dog!!)

Wow, children are so full of life and energy.... Ira was continuously running around in excitement!! While holding Ira's hands and leading her down the platform, it was as if she was transmitting her energy to us... Making us forget the achy legs and sleepy eyes! And every time I ran behind her to bring her back or make her stand back, I felt like that was all I could ask for... A loving child and a loving husband silently guarding our back :)

What made this more special was that Ira is now grown up enough to appreciate her surrounding something she wasn't able to do 2 months back! So, an outing to a railway station was also a special one :)

A perfect picture it was :).... Walking hand in hand!

A wave of positivity!!

It's immensely satisfying when you can always speak your mind, do what you feel like and just be!

I've always been a person who'll try and be a amiable as possible. But then, the pressure of being amiable builds up so much that it takes a toll :(. Of course with time I have learned to speak my mind, however unpleasant the communication may be. 

That's when a reassuring word from a loved one - that it is ok to put yourself on a priority, at times and that it's ok to say things you want to without being afraid of the consequences just lifts my spirits. Not only those close to me in my personal life, but a positive sentiment from those who matter to me, like my workplace, does wonders! It acts as a tonic to me :)

Just the feeling of being able to give a feedback, of being able to share your thoughts without wondering if it will cost you dearly, is so good!!! 

All I want to say and wish is that, I wish I get to do this more often and spread the same everywhere - the wave of positivity :)

Rising from invisibility!!

Hi Friends,

I've been thinking of getting back to writing for a long time now... but what with the routine household and professional responsibilities, I kept putting my  writing on the back seat! I am back now... after a good 3 yrs!!!

All that happened in these 3 yrs, have changed my life completely... yesss, it's a sea change.. has turned my life around totally!!! After all, the new addition to my family is none other than my cute little daughter Ira :)

When Ira came into my life last yr, little did I know that my life would change so drastically.. She's shuffled all my priorities such that my life now revolves around her... She's my sunshine... my source of energy!

An old friend of mine had suggested to me long back that I should pen down my journey of an expecting mother to being a mother and life after that... but so busy I was enjoying all these moments, that I did not even think of writing anything.

Now, however, you will see fairly regular posts from me... which may mostly talk of all little things that happen throughout the day and may (very obviously) again center around Ira and her small things :)

Well, there's of course a lots to catch up about the 3 years gone by and you will surely get a glimpse of my adventures (LOL)

Till then, good bye until I write again :)