Watching my parents try their best to juggle work and taking care of me and my siblings after my grandma passed away was and is admirable. Hiring a domestic helper then was not common and us kids were certain that we could take care of ourselves. While we picked up alot of independence and had to grow up fast, I know that my parents, my mom especially, had to deal with alot of uncertainty, fear and backlash from my annoying relatives who thought she should stay home instead of continuing to work. I love my parents so much for that. Their sacrifice, unique as it were, made me and my siblings stronger and brought our family closer together. I can only hope this will inspire me to go above and beyond for my family when and if the time comes.
I would share what my mother told me as I think her generation had it worst. It was probably when she had to go back to working part-time while I was still young as it was really tough to bring up three children on my father's blue collar job. Just seeing the three of us together kept her going. She chose to work night shifts so that she still have time for us in the day. It was tough for both my parents but they supported each other. Truly inspiring.
Sammy Tan