For some time now, women (and more and more men), have been feeling they must choose between being a stay-at-home parent and pursuing a career. While many women prefer to continue working at least part time once children arrive, some feel they have no choice. But increasing demands on family life during the global pandemic reportedly caused an exodus of women from the workforce.

There is much talk of how people can lose out on career opportunities and income when they decide to stay home to raise children. The argument is that once you step out of the business environment, you have lost your place on the upward ladder and may never regain it. But this does not have to be the case for anyone.  

Many years ago, when I was a young single mother, I felt very strongly that I needed to be the one to raise my daughter, and putting her in day care did not seem the right thing at that time. Even though I had work experience and skills that were easily employable in the business world, it didn’t seem to be the path to follow.