As a brand new first time mum, I relished the opportunity to go out for a pleasant evening of dining and drinks.  Having drunk very little in the previous nine months, and with the MIL (mother-in-law) babysitting, I decided to let my hair down.  Yes, you know exactly where this is going.

As we (girlfriends) sat chatting, an female acquaintance of the MOTH joined our table.  What a coincidence..we were all first time mums!  As the conversation went from breastfeeding, to shitty nappies, the topic of career came up.  Here’s where I put my enormous, gigantic, smelly foot in it.

I said: “So, are you enjoying staying at home with bub?”

She said:  “Well, I’m back at work now.”

I said:  “Wow! (turning to friend) aren’t we lucky that we don’t have to do that?”

She said:  “Actually, I wanted to go back.”

I said:  “Gulp!”

The room went deadly silent.  In my mind a giant, worm infested hole opened a beneath me and swallowed my arrogant, condescending ass.  In reality I fidgeted in my seat and tried to ignore the death stares coming from my friends.

I can’t remember much more about that evening ( apart from one friend urinating in my driveway), but that incident, I will never forget.

I still see it as a privilege to be a stay at home mum.  I guess now though, I don’t see returning to work as a punishment.

One must be as humble as the dust before he can discover truth.
Mahatma Gandhi