Growing up with a mom who was a nurse back then was a very big flex. My siblings and I were quick to tell anyone that asked her occupation and an extra was our dad's occupation because of how proud we were of the duo. Dad, a soldier, and mom, a nurse, sometimes leave people wondering how they managed to run the house and family since they are both busy all the time and attending to family needs and wants was difficult, but mom managed to juggle both attending to these needs and wants of the family alongside her job with a little support from dad whenever he was around since he was nearly never around and mom had to carry all the weight.
She tried as much as she could to hide her struggles, but it felt like juggling being a mother, a wife, and a nurse became even more difficult with each passing day. I feel it was difficult because she had little to no support since dad was never around; he moved from one city to another because of the nature of his job, and she had to play multiple roles.
"I don't think I can keep living like this; after your dad returns from his deployment in Liberia, we are all going to have a family meeting." My mom said after our regular morning devotion
"We hope it is not something serious, mom? And why can't we just discuss it instead of waiting for dad?" My siblings and I asked
"I have consulted a few friends for advice because of what I am about to do, so all I need is for your father to be around so I can just say it abd i hope he approves of it." Mom responded
"Why does it feel like you are about to drop a bombshell on us, mom?" I asked
"Hahaha." Mom laughed. "As a mother and a wife, it is my duty to make sacrifices to ensure that my family affairs are being run perfectly well." Mom added
"Mom, now you are making us more anxious; just give us a tip about this bombshell you are about to drop." My sister pleaded.
"You guys just go and get your house chores done; your dad will be back in no time." Mom said to bring the conversation to a close.
Clearly we saw her trying to be a mother, a wife, and a nurse, and since dad was hardly around, I would say she had to handle matters a man should have handled, and slowly the weight started becoming too heavy as the number of kids she had to outlook for continued to increase. If she has a shift or is on duty, sometimes we follow her to the hospital, and sometimes she leaves us under the custody of a neighbor, but neighbors have their problems too, so adding to their problems was starting to make her worry. In a few months, dad was back, and she called for the meeting like she had planned.
"I am really glad we are all seated here as one big family, and happy our father came back hale and hearty." My mom said at the beginning of the meeting.
"It was all good, and I missed you all. It feels really good to be home to such a wonderful family." My dad cut in with a smile on his face, showing how proud he was of mom and how she had handled things while he was away for about a year.
"The reason I called for this meeting is because I cannot continue being a mother, a wife, and a nurse; one has to go, and I guess we all know which one." My mom said finally dropping the bombshell.
"Finally, here comes the bombshell. Mom." I saud looking at her.
The bombshell she dropped left the entire sitting room in silence, everyone trying to process what she has just said and trying to picture a new and different life because quitting her job is definitely going to affect us, our daily routine, and definitely our household income was about to be tampered with, so it did need a lot of processing.
"Hmmmmm." Dad breaks the silence. "But have you given this any thought?" My dad asked.
"Yes, I consulted a few friends, and they suggest I go into business, as that would give me more time to focus on running the family affairs and looking after the kids better since I would be self-employed and not working for the government or anyone." Mom said she was all sad but felt the need to make this huge sacrifice for the family.
"I really don't like this idea of quitting your job, though your reason is valid, and I am really sorry you have to carry all of this weight." My dad
"I knew the nature of your job before we got married, so I will do all I can to fill in where I can, no matter how difficult and how much I need to sacrifice." Mom added
"Though quitting is not the best option, I feel your deciding to quit simply means you have gotten to the limit, so forcing or asking you to go on might mean harming you. So you have my support; do what you have to do, and I am behind you and I appreciate you for everything you do. What business do you intend to start and about capital?" Dad asked
"I intend to open a small boutique, and for the capital that is where you come in." My mom said laughing.
With mom dropping the bombshell and quitting her job, our lives took a different turn, though it took time for her business to attain the standard she wanted, and it did affect the family's finances but we managed to pull through.
