A few of my younger friends have been telling me that they are seriously considering quitting full-time work to devote more time to their children. They want my opinion, knowing that I was once a stay-at-home mum myself.
They find it difficult juggling the stresses of full-time jobs and worrying over leaving their small children in childcare or at home with minders.
My advice to them: Do it if you can afford it. You won't regret the decision.
True, it is easier said than done. Single mums and working mums who are needed to contribute to lower-income household budgets may not be able to manage this but those who can should grab the chance.
Women of power do it. American First Lady elect Michelle Obama, a lawyer by profession, wants to be a First Mum and put her career on hold. Of course she'll have to, not least of all for security reasons. However, there is no doubt she is genuinely concerned for her two girls and feels that the very public life they have been thrust into will require her firm guidance as they grow.
In my case, because I had to reside in different countries due to my husband's work, I felt I had to pay special attention to our daughter's needs, like breaking her into new schools, getting accustomed to different cultures and learning new languages.
The perks of an expatriate existence allowed me to do this although I resented having to give up my own career for a time. I am always grateful that I had the privilege of so much control over my girl's growing years, and that I had the opportunity to determine her development.
Last week, I was shocked when a primary schoolboy yelled the F-word at me as he whizzed past me on his bicycle on a pedestrian footpath. And this was only because I had told him to be careful.
As I've told my friends, devoting a few years exclusively to your children's development may not iron out all the rough edges (that boy's mum could be a homemaker). It, however, will give you a chance to help them become the people you can one day be proud of.
This article was first published in Mind Your Body, The Straits Times on Nov 27, 2008.
