Let me start by saying I never felt called to the field of motherhood. I received my bachelor’s degree in fashion merchandising and marketing, but life came along and BOOM! I was offered the job on December 20, 2015 when those two pink lines popped up. Funny thing is, I don’t even remember applying for the job but it was probably on a night after I had a glass or two of wine. Apparently, I write I mean cover letter if ya know what I mean. I accepted and wanted to get right to work but the on boarding process was crazy long. Like nine months! My first day was suppose to be August 26, 2016 but to no avail, the boss pushed it out a day and work began on August 27, 2016.
The first few weeks of life as a career mother were pretty comparable to other women I had met in the industry. Lacking sleep, dark circles and sore nipples all seemed to be standard responses to women adjusting to their new roles. Slowly, I found a groove in my day-to-day duties and was beginning to get the hang of things. Wake up, eat, poop, play, nap and repeat. I even took on some extra tasks at work like cleaning the house, walking the dog and creating homemade organic fruit and veggie purées.
I would say the first year on the job can be rather isolating. You sit and talk to someone who is rather incapable of communicating back to you. The language barrier is pretty rough and sign language can only take you so far. I mean, ‘more milk’ isn’t really a topic you can expand on in terms of in depth conversations. I started to wonder if a mom tribe is an organization I could see myself becoming involved in. For me, the answer was yes. It was an easy way to meet other moms in the field and swap horror stories about how your boss decided to call you into work at 4am instead of letting you sleep until 7 like she normally does.
Once I hit my two year anniversary in the workplace, things picked up in the office quite a bit. I found myself running more errands, coming up with unique ways to turn vegetables into vehicles en route to the tummy and became a certified expert in conflict resolutions with an emphasis on toddler tantrums. I love a good challenge, so figuring out how to keep an escape artist in bed all night is a constant process. We’re making some great headway with new incentives being offered for a successful night’s work.
Overall, motherhood has been great for my personal growth. The job has taught me to listen with intention, laugh at the little things and snuggle like there’s not a pile of laundry waiting to be washed. My resume reads ‘Ashton Kelly: Mother’ and if you ask me, that’s bound to turn some heads in the professional world. Plus, I heard I’m a shoo in for Mom of the Year!!
If you or someone you know is interested in joining team motherhood, please know it takes extreme patience, a whole lot of love and a boatload of grace. We look forward to you joining our team!
