...I'm okay with being REALITY-based.




Tuesday, September 16, 2003
      ( 12:30 PM )
 
Mama Lament

Now is one of those times I'm breaking from my usual political banter to utter nonsense about "working" mothers. Today one of my bosses called me in and said she'd been talking to my other boss and they both agreed that they would like me to work later because they both arrive later and work later. I originally arranged my work schedule so that I could have at least an hour with my baby before he goes to bed. He is going to bed a little later these days (between 6:30 and 7 usually), but still, with my 45 minute bus commute I get home in just enough time to hurry to share Baby's dinner with him and bath and bed. Sometimes I get a bit of playtime. This is something that I value above all other things, especially my job.

To be honest, I felt a little ambushed by my boss. We thoroughly talked through my scheduled hours when I first started working for her (and for the other boss). It's one of those situations where they say you can just think about it but you know that if you offer any other solution than you working later (which will always stretch into even later overtime) then you're forever labeled as uncooperative and not a "dedicated" worker. I have to admit that part of my negativity on this issue could revolve around the fact that my heart isn't really in the work I do for money. And though I am happy to even have a job and thankful that my family is provided for in this economy, I also find that when situations like this arise I have to battle with myself to even give a damn.

On a similar, but totally worse note, I just learned that one of my oldest friends, another working mom who supports her family and barely gets to see her baby (who is 2 weeks older than mine) during the week just found out that what she thought was a miscarriage turns out to be some rare form of ovarian cancer for which she may have to enter chemo for.

I think I'll just switch back to politics and aim my anger at all the successive governments of this country that have never taken the time to provide guaranteed health care for the citizens of this country. It shouldn't be that working our butts off is the only chance we have to get (overpriced as it is) healthcare, and then if we can't work when things like cancer happen, what do we do? Why can't governments that are supposed to be for the people ever act that way?

Okay, all done.

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