The MOM resume
My Bachelor's degree in Business Management from Purdue University, qualified me for a variety of jobs. It even rendered me competent for a job with an IT Services company, which was my first job, post college, in the corporate world as soon as I moved back to Chennai. My degree allowed me to function well in a number of departments - Sales, Marketing, Project Management, Operations, HR, Finance and so on. However, I can confidently say that there is one very critical job where a degree is not a pre-requisite anywhere in the world, and that is the job of a mom.
Photo credit: http://www.lahc.edu/
As a mom, after months of cleaning pee, poop and spat up milk from clothes and floors, to whipping up continental menus, I am proud to say that there are a myriad of jobs that I could very easily add to my resume! If I ever decide to try something new and go in a different direction career-wise, I don't think I would have a problem.
1. Amateur mechanic
Toys and gadgets are always 'mysteriously' falling off the shelf and breaking. My son's favourite past time at home is driving his red car, which inevitably breaks down every few days. I am always there in a second to examine, check if damage control can be done and repair.
2. 24/7 bartender
My son loves drinking more than eating (he is my son for a reason!). So there is a constant stream of requests for different combinations of drinks throughout the day. Orange juice, Watermelon juice, Lime juice, Strawberry milkshake, Strawberry & Banana milkshake.....you get my drift.
3. Self proclaimed pediatric nurse
It turns out that treating scraped knees, banged foreheads, colds, coughs and fevers are all learn-on-the-job kind of situations.
4. Innovative stylist
Before my son was born, I was always led to believe that boys were easier and more boring to dress, than girls. Not true! My son loves choosing his attire for school, playdates etc on his own. So he has me by his side every morning for half hour, matching different combinations of shirts, shorts/pants, socks and shoes.
5. Glorified athlete
Toddlers don't understand the word 'walk'. It's either trot or run, except for when they are asleep. Therefore, everyone residing in the house become athletes by default.
6. Assistant menu coordinator
The head menu planner is of course my son who decides what should be included in the upcoming week's menu. Once he gives me his recommendations, I coordinate with the cook to set the final menu.
7. Chief event planner
Kids somehow have an even more active social life than we do. For every one plan we make, they make 4! If the playdate is at home, there are multiple things to be taken care of - food & drinks, decor (toys and other paraphernalia), pick-up and drop-off and more. Planning and coordinating their schedules definitely takes great skill!
8. Local lifeguard
When my son swims in his inflatable pool or in the baby pool outside, it becomes a big production, as it probably is in most houses. At the age of 2, kids don't think to be careful. So my eyes never leave him, making sure he doesn't slip, drink water from the pool or get hurt in any way. The only things missing are my binoculars and Baywatch outfit!
9. Musical clown
My son is a pretty musical guy. Even with the 1 million toys, games, puzzles, pretend play sets and cars he owns, he often insists that I sing to him (no, this is not when he wants to sleep). Not with a normal voice mind you!, but with the squeakiest voice in the highest pitch possible, meanwhile doing the actions of the song entwined with steps from Macarena.
10. Ruthless exterminator
In India, the bug season commences around August/September and continues all the way till summer kicks in. Our house is near the Cooum which is a highly polluted river, thereby breeding more mosquitos and other bugs than normally expected. So during the bug season, my sole aim is to follow my son around with a mosquito bat, insect spray, insect repellant to apply on my son and perform any other exterminating activity I can possibly think of.
Would you like to share some of the new skills you have developed after becoming a mom? Please do so! I would love to hear them!
