So, you’ve spent the last 15-20 years building your career and climbing that corporate ladder, just to feel guilty that you’re going to sacrifice your tireless work to stay at home and care for your kids. All those stressful days, long nights building presentations and hours taken away from commuting are now out the door. Just like that. Trust us when we say, you’re not the only one to make this life-changing decision. 

First of all, you should be super proud of yourself for everything you’ve accomplished so far and for choosing to be extremely selfless. It’s hard to be the top employee and favorite parent at the same. Parenting, as we know, is a full-time job, so you may not feel so out of the norm as you would think! 

Parenting is a similar gig to the job you’ve worked so hard for your whole life. You have no idea what you’re doing at first, then you start to get the hang of it, go through a restructure, and finally find that light at the end of the tunnel that makes you say, “Okay. I got this. I’m good at what I do.” When you bring your baby home for the first time, you are clueless, scared and excited about your new role as a parent, you finally figure out their feeding and sleep schedules, then they go through a tantrum and no sleeping phase, and finally, you raise them to be their greatest self. To see them flourish one day and grow up to be an exceptional person, is a feeling that’s hard to describe. No job or CEO title can ever make you feel that. There is just as much, if not more, pride in caring for your family full time than ruining your posture behind a computer eight hours a day. 

There are so many other ways in life to feel accomplished and fulfilled, and parenting is at the top of that list. We’re not saying it’s easy, but we are saying that it’s worth it and there is no room for outside judgment…especially those who aren’t even parents! Do what’s best for you and your family because one thing that is not replaceable is them— your family, your people. What is replaceable, is your senior position at your job. 

If one day you decide that you want to go back into the workforce, power to you! You do you, and never settle for something you don’t believe in.