I’m sitting on a plane, flying home to Sydney after a week-long business trip to Los Angeles. Despite going to bed at midnight every night after days of non-stop meetings, I got more sleep than I usually do at home because I “slept in” ‘till 8am most days.
I work full time, which is up to 70 hours per week. Partly because I now have a global position as Head of Public Relations and Spokesperson at comparison website finder.com, where I’m busy helping the company launch in the USA. And partly because I’m obsessed with my job – I absolutely love it. finder.com is my third baby, and while I’m spending more time thinking about planning and structure, I still get a buzz when I see finder featured in the media.
This was my first overseas trip away from my family of husband and two kids, since our second child was born. Zara is now six months old and Ezra is almost five. My husband has taken about a year of long service leave from his primary teaching career to look after the kids while I go back to my other love, my job.
Watch: The things I do after my kids go to bed. Post continues after video…
In the lead up to this trip, I was confronted with questions from you, asking me, “So, who will look after the kids?”
This question makes me angry. I’m angry with you for assuming there will be no one to care for my kids. I’m angry with you for assuming my husband is incapable of caring for our kids without me. I’m angry with you for judging me; by asking this question you’re underlying that I should be home to care for my kids. And I’m angry with you for perpetuating this diseased culture of gender inequality.
It’s not the first time I’ve been hit with judgment. It was you who reacted with “wow” when I told you my plans for going back to work full-time when Zara was four months old. It was you who asked me how I would breastfeed when I’m working full-time.
I’m sick of your judging. If my husband were going overseas for business, you wouldn’t ask him who would look after the kids. When he went back to work two weeks after Ezra was born, you didn’t bat an eyelid.
What is most upsetting is that it’s women who are the biggest culprits. What happened to sisterhood? You have kids or probably will soon. You juggle work with life. You juggle caring for your family. You face the same judgmental questions and reactions every day. And then you do the same.
Top Comments
"Since the very public hearing, Roxy has been called “...attention seeking trash...”,"
This isn't 'mother-bashing'?
The author is giving an example of mother bashing. She isn't literally saying the person is trash...
Surely you can tell the difference?
No one really gives two hoots - they're just being polite.