Jun 02 2008
What to “REALLY” expect when you’re expecting or …did you really think you knew what you were doing?
Our generation has been told we can have it all: family and career, money and satisfaction. The cigarette ad once said “You’ve come a long way, baby!” But can we… can we have everything all at once? I am a well-educated woman with plenty of common sense and practical experience on the home front since I am the oldest of 8 kids. Despite this, I was completely unprepared for how childbearing and childrearing affect every facet of life. Mommy track versus fast track or both… could I really have both? This question never even occurred to me before giving birth. Then I had my first child. 
The nurse hands you a 7 pound bundle of joy at the hospital or does she?? More like a 2 ton bundle of worry, stress and guilt over past, present and future mistakes. Even great moms will admit to sometimes feeling consumed with these negative emotions. So how do we juggle these parenting concerns? How do we balance demands of parenting and careers?
