When I was a resident, a woman came to work for the department as an Attending Anesthesiologist. Soon she got pregnant, and was in Heaven to be having her first child.
No other child came after.
She worked full time.
It wasn't until later I learned of her nannies, and how she carefully thought out activities for her daughter and told the nanny what activities she wanted her daughter to do. There were art projects, cooking and baking surprises, visits to places...
At the holidays, when the family would come to the department function, I would watch the family closely.
The father, who worked from home, shared a wonderful bond with his daughter. They were close.
And the mother who was supporting the family?
Not so close.
Fast forward about ten years, to the time when I was pregnant.
Anna interrogated me.
A: Do you think you have emotional maturity to take care of another human life? Are you READY?
C: (looking at my gravid stomach) God says I am...I think?
I thank Anna as my teacher in parenting. In the back of my mind, I always remembered how much closer the daughter was to those who spent time with her.
This is why I don't have a designated nanny. This is why I drop my boy off at before-school daycare myself. This is why I pack the lunches, and plan 'Camp Mom' and things like that.
It is a crime again children, against humanity, and against a mother's heart that the mom does not have the choice to be at home with her children in order to support the family.
She should always have that choice.
Working part-time a minimum of two days a week is enough to keep the skills up, for later.
There should also be safe, affordable childcare that is standardized for drop-off care for appointments or some respite time for the mother.
Our future is in the hands of our preschoolers--one day they will run our society.
Take a look at the animal kingdom, and how the mothers interact with their young. Who would ever want to get between a mama bear and her cub? That bond is super strong!
I pray for these things every single day--for children to have a good life, everywhere--for society to really invest in love and abundance for the needs of our own little ones.
I also wish we could teach them all Reiki, how to meditate, and yoga too. So their inner guidance will be strong for the future that lies ahead.
Aloha and Mahalos,
Namaste,
Peace,
Reiki Doc