Going Back to Work

On Tuesday I go back to work for the first time since Jett was born. I've never been away from him for more than 3 hours, and on Tuesday we will be apart for 10. I know he'll be in the loving arms of his Grandma Katie, and that makes this a little easier. But I still picture Jett missing me and me not being there to comfort him. Those of you who have done this before know how it feels. Those of you who don't know the kind of sad this is, imagine seeing a puppy get kicked. That's the kind of sad I'm talking about.

But let's dial down the sad-o-meter.

I'm keeping in mind that Charlie and I weighed the pros and cons and decided that we would both keep working - or at least give it a very determined try. Millions of women don't have that choice. I'm grateful that I do.

I also sought the advice of friends who have successfully navigated this transition, and this is what they had to say:

"Trust is not about being there all the time. Trust is about always coming back. Whether you do it now or when he's five, he will eventually have to go through this separation. That's a life lesson. You can't protect him from that lesson. And believe me, it's going to be much easier on him to do it now, than to do it when he's older."

"One of the greatest things you can do to build a child's sense of security is to let them know that there are a lot of people in this world that they can rely on."

"I think it was harder on me than on my baby. I think kids are very adaptable especially at such a young age."

"Sometimes it's really nice to talk about something other than your child (children). As much as we love them and talk about them and think about them, it's a nice break sometimes to think about and talk about something else. I think it is actually harder on us than on them."

I just hope it's all true.