There are so many things I wish someone had told me before I became a mum.
From simple things like not to worry if they fall off the bed or not to panic if they decide to cry for more than 10 minutes.
And while no two babies (and mothers) are the same, I think we can all agree there are a lot of things we wish people around us had told us before we entered the world of parenthood.
Isn’t it ironic that everyone tells you to “enjoy your pregnancy”, “get a lot of sleep”, “eat and rest well” but the one advice I wish someone had told me was to plan for a childcare support system.
Finding the right babysitter is one of the essential things but it’s not going to be a walk in the park.
I have friends who had to switch careers as they could not find caregivers willing to take care of their babies beyond the standard working hours. You can expect long stares and complaints from such babysitters if you are just 10 minutes late.
With many unregistered childcare centres around, the last thing you want is to receive news that your child has been harmed.
It is essential to create a fool-proof childcare ecosystem with caregivers comfortable with the nature of the job of both parents.
Many young mothers with much career potential become stay-at-home mums instead because it is not easy to strike a balance between the office and home without a proper support system.
The fact is not all women choose to sacrifice their careers to become stay-at-home mums. The challenge of finding suitable childcare is why many women decide to leave their careers.
There are still many employers who do not provide assisted childcare facilities for their employees.
There will be emergencies. The person taking care of your child will not always be there for you, and then what?
This may be old, but take it from me, it still takes a village to raise a child.
