I admit, I frequent quite a few blogs. I find comfort in knowing there are people halfway around the world with the same opinion, sense of humour and career-centric issues that I have.

One of my favourite blogs: MODG or Martinis Or Diaper Genies is written by a hilarious 30-year old living in suburban USA. She provides colourful commentary on whether or not she’s ready to trade her 20-something ways for mommy duties. About a year ago she found out she was pregnant and recently gave birth to a healthy baby boy.

These days, she blogs about her challenges as a mother and how these challenges influenced her decision to be a stay-at-home mom for one year. A recent post discussed a hot topic issue: Working Moms versus Stay-At-Home Moms.  This was something that both she and I didn’t even realize was an added struggle on motherhood.

As someone who is unapologetically career-oriented, I’m on the fence about whether or not I even want children. It’s such a large responsibility and something that if/when I’m ready, I want to be able to fully commit myself to. I see it as another job – a role that one day will be a part of my career path if I so choose – and I contemplate the responsibilities as I would for any other job opportunity.

While researching this debate, I came across this Globe and Mail article and it opened my eyes to the working-mom side of the conversation. This working-mom presented an angle I never factored in – maybe some moms need to work, because it’s the best for them. As selfish as it seems, it’s for the benefit of their children, as they fear failure in motherhood. For them, it can’t be categorized as “just another job on my path.” For their own reasons, it is just not the same.

At the end of the day I’m not here to applaud one side or the other. We’re all different and make choices based on different factors, reasons and needs. I just found it surprising that as women, we build silos and block each other out. We face an immense pressure to have children; a pressure that’s now met with responsibilities as breadwinners, goal-setters and singletons. While this pressure has softened, it is still an ever present stigma in our society.

I hope by the time I make my decision, walls are broken and conversation are had. Not focusing on who’s right or who’s wrong: rather focus on learning, understanding and influencing the frustrating, challenging and beautiful sides of one of women’s greatest roles – motherhood.

IMAGE CREDIT: Working Mother Magazine