Every mum is different, some prefer a working environment, others prefer to work at the homestead as stay-at-home mums.
But being a mum-of-four while also a full-time employee has it's just rewards as well as it's pitfalls - just ask Liz Petrone.
Liz has informed us of the biggest pitfall she faces being a working mother; a statement which is thrown by her on many occasions.
"Wow, it sure must be nice to be able to waltz into work at 9am."
The passing comment is quite the insult to the mum who considers herself lucky enough to be able to go to work.
"I am lucky to have a job that affords me flexibility. I am lucky to have a job."
"I am lucky to have four healthy kids [...] I am lucky to live in a culture where women can and do work freely outside of the home. I am lucky to be healthy enough myself to mostly manage all this," the mum shares.
But the comment does get to her, because if she is honest about it, waltzing into work is far from the truth.
When the mum-of-four sits at her desk, taking a quick look at her FitBit, there is something astonishing that continues to strike her - she has accumulated 2.5 miles BEFORE loading her computer.
All before 9am.
Because being a full time employee means Liz has a lot of work to get done in the morning before she makes her way to work: "I made five beds, one twice."
"I took a shower and made myself look sort of human and flushed three toilets and fished one very wet pull-up out from under my bed. I made two very strong cups of coffee."
"I dressed one child and myself and told another that her 'outfit' would probably get me arrested should I let her leave the house in it."
And that's just the tip. Liz asked her kids to brush their teeth on numerous occasions, requested they keep the volume down, drove the big kids to school and back again when they forgot 'important' items.
"I stood on the bus stop and waited for two more buses while trying in vain to fish the littles out of a neighbour's tree."
"I cleaned their breakfast out of my car and my kitchen and my hair. I dismantled pillow forts [...] and threw in a load of laundry and reapplied the lip gloss I'd left on four cheeks in goodbye kisses.
Liz doesn't share her story to garner attention, she wants people to know that the comment thrown her way is far from the truth and quite unfair, not just to her, but to all the mamas.
"I don't tell you this to look for sympathy. Not at all."
"To the working mamas, I feel you. I feel you so hard right now. But more than that, to ALL the mamas, I'm raising my cup of (now cold) coffee."
Liz wants all mums to keep being themselves, not heeding any notice of the judgement - because at the end of the day it's each to their own.
