Dear Future Leader,
Tomorrow marks another heart-wrenching milestone for me. Once again, I’ll have to leave behind my newborn, a reality I hoped I wouldn’t face yet again. As I prepare for this emotional farewell, I find myself grappling with the inevitable sadness of parting with my baby for the fourth time.
People tell me to be resilient, to be grateful for my job, and often claim that being a teacher comes with the easiest schedule imaginable for a working mom. Yes, I’ve learned to be tough. Yes, I appreciate my employment. And yes, my schedule is indeed quite accommodating. But the anguish of leaving my little one lingers.
Tomorrow morning, I’ll rush through the house, trying to squeeze in as much love and care for my children as I can before I head off to work. I know I’m not alone in this struggle—there are countless working mothers out there, each enduring the same bittersweet ache for their newborns.
Hard work? I’m no stranger to it. You could call me a “mompreneur,” as I’ve launched my own photography business, a fitness venture, and a writing career—all while juggling my full-time teaching job. But, dear Future Leader, this doesn’t make me a supermom or a standout citizen. It merely highlights my commitment to providing for my family.
We are your everyday middle-class family, with my husband and I both holding steady jobs. We work diligently to keep a roof over our four kids’ heads, ensuring they have warm beds and full bellies. Yet, despite our best efforts, we barely scrape by each month after paying the mortgage, student loans, and other expenses. If you were to ask our children what they desire the most, their answer would be simple: “Mommy.”
Tomorrow, I’ll fight back tears, pry toddlers off my legs, and unclench tiny fingers from my neck as I hand over my newborn. I won’t be there to comfort her when she cries or to lay her down for naps. Instead, I’ll put on a brave face, even though inside, I’m a whirlwind of emotions. No matter how much I prepare myself, I know I’ll be a mess.
As I step out of my front door, I’ll glance back at my children’s tear-streaked faces and hear my baby’s cries echoing behind me. With a heavy heart, I’ll climb into my car, start the engine, and drive away to a classroom of eager second graders who need my attention.
Despite the emotional turmoil I’ll be experiencing, I’ll muster the strength to teach and inspire young minds. My baby is now 9 weeks old, beginning to smile and recognize me. She knows I’m the one who comforts her at night and rushes to her whenever she’s upset. And yet, tomorrow, I’ll have to leave her behind.
It’s a bitter pill to swallow, knowing that we lack access to paid maternity leave. This lack of support makes it nearly impossible for mothers like me to bond with our newborns during those critical early days. Instead of enjoying the precious moments of nursing, I’ll be stuck pumping in a cramped space, feeling frustrated and heartbroken.
Throughout my day, I’ll try to focus on my students, masking my pain while I impart important lessons. So I must ask you, Future Leader: Why is the United States the only developed nation without mandated paid maternity leave? Why does it seem that we disregard the needs of new mothers?
This newborn is my fourth child and my last chance to experience those early bonding moments. I had hoped for change by now, longing for the time to nurture her fully. As a voice for countless hardworking mothers, I urge you to safeguard this essential time for new mothers and their babies—time that is invaluable in ways hard to quantify.
Tomorrow, I’ll join the ranks of other mothers who have to leave their newborns behind. But wouldn’t it be wonderful if we didn’t have to be warriors in this fight for balance?
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In summary, working mothers face tremendous challenges when it comes to balancing their careers with the demands of motherhood, particularly in the absence of paid maternity leave. As I prepare to leave my newborn tomorrow, I reflect on the emotional toll it takes and advocate for the recognition and protection of this essential bonding period.