Moms in Medicine

Here’s the thing about being a Mom who works in healthcare, especially when your kids are young (read: the age where germs abound at daycare and on those adorable, tiny desks in their kindergarten classroom):

Strep Throat happens.

Ear infections happen.

Sleepless nights occur.

Working Mom Life

Stretches of solo parenting (shout out to the single parents out there, you are the true heroes) are long and lonely.

Kids get sick.

YOU get sick.

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Things happen in your LIFE outside of work that leave you with a choice:

To Call Off or Not To Call Off

Do I get childcare coverage and ask someone else to stay with my sick kid or do I call off?

I used to *agonize* over this decision.

I used to have a manager who would nickel and dime us on time.

I used to feel *extreme guilt* for my patients who would need to be rescheduled, the coworkers who would step up and the colleagues who would be inconvenienced by my absence.

Then I remembered that *I* cover for my colleagues when they are out (and I don’t HATE them for it).

Because they, like me, are HUMAN.

It’s part of how life works.

So now, when a kid of mine is sick…

Patients get rescheduled.

Cases get shuffled.

Adjustments are made.

And… here’s the most important part.

It’s not the end of the world.

You can be there for your kid and return to work when they are healthy.

You can be an exceptional employee and teammate AND have a life and responsibilities outside of work.

You are uniquely equipped to handle all that this life throws at you, even if it feels hard sometimes.

And in case you need an *extra* reminder, here are 10 Lies to Stop Believing about Working Motherhood.

And in case you are STILL on the fence about taking your hard earned PTO –

TheSkimm reminds us that each week we are likely volunteering *on average* 9 hours for FREE at our job. Your PTO is your benefit and you’ve earned it. You don’t feel guilty for taking advantage of your 401k match or using your healthcare, dental and vision benefits. Paid Time Off – your employer is saying here is time I am willing to pay you NOT to come in. And if you don’t leverage what you are saying is “No, I’m good, I’ll work and get paid instead of staying home and getting paid.”