Around Mother’s Day, many talk about inspirational women in their lives – mostly their moms. My mom is very inspirational. She supported me and helped me with anything and everything I needed growing up. Still does, and now that I’m a mom my kids are also an inspiration to me as well.
Some of that stuff my mom helped me with growing up was for my career – college, internships, moving from city to city to work my way up in the TV industry. She even made some of those long drives with me. It all worked. I made it to a top 20 market – which, in a reporter’s world means you’ve made it. It’s what I wanted since I was in middle school.
Then, I had kids and what I wanted changed. Another inspirational woman in my life, who is helping me with a future career path once again, is a smaller woman. A three-year-old little lady named Julianna. She is my daughter and one of the main reasons I left my TV job… and made a total career change. Who knows? I may even make another one in the future.
My wants and my needs have changed. My career used to come first because a.) that’s all I had to work toward, and b.) that’s what we’re taught – go to college, get a job, get married and have kids. It’s just the typical thing to do, I guess.
But after having kids, time is limited. This is something I wasn’t prepared for. I honestly didn’t think it would be as hard as it is to be a working mother. Working in TV isn’t easy… on a variety of levels, but at the end of the day, I didn’t want to fight to have Christmas morning off so I wouldn’t miss my kids opening up their presents. (And that’s just one reason I got out of the business.)
So, it’s kind-of weird to think about how my life has already changed when it comes to the generations of mothers. My mom helped guide me to be what I am today and my daughter is guiding me to change some of that – for her. Who knows what my Julianna will say in 30 years.
CHRISTINA