Who says being a single working mom is tough?

General Manager, Retail Leasing at M3M Group, single mom Asma Javed manages to strategize her work and her six-year-old son, Aryan with complete ease. Read on what she has to say about being a single mom……

Parenting is a phase that every couple wishes to experience which is, in fact, a sweet-sour experience. With wailing babies and cranky teenagers to handle, it becomes a bit difficult for working parents to balance their personal and professional lives. While some end up leaving their jobs and focus on their children being hands-on parents, there are some who manage their work and family life pretty well.

But what about the single mothers who raise their children alone and work simultaneously? In the fast-paced world we live in, being a single working mother might seem to be quite intense. But I think I managed to break the stereotypes and the taboo around it.

Being an expert in retail leasing with an experience of over 15 years, I have been juggling my professional and personal life fairly okay, I think.

For me, being a single working mother has been both, challenging and fun! Being able to spend time with my son and working in a field I am passionate about, is truly blissful.

Challenges are a part of life and there are some challenges that all single parents face!

Being there for my son all the time and every time he needed me while I work, I used to worry whether he felt lonely or insecure. And with time I learned that the best way to ensure that my little one is not worried or insecure is to take out time for him, no matter what! Switching off the cell phone or not attending any work calls (unless urgent) is the best way to spend time with the kids. A single mother not only has to be financially independent, she needs to ensure that she is physically and emotionally available for her child.

The ability to make good and sensible decisions is something that every single parent needs to be good at! Right from deciding what school my child should study in, to deciding what poem he should recite at the school competition, there are plenty of important decisions that I need to take without any support.

Handling the work and societal pressure that a single mother is commonly subjected to, it becomes quite imperative to stay calm and composed no matter what! In a society where children look up to their parents and depend on them for everything, being angry and bitter would only impact the personality of the children adversely.

There have been instances when I felt frustrated and dejected, a single mother has to face a lot of criticism and commenting in public. Often the single mother has to keep shut just to maintain her dignity.

But when one day Aryan innocently came to me and said “Mom u r not only my Mom but my papa too” his words gave me more strength and positivity.

I am happy that I am raising a child who is intelligent, sensitive and full of gratitude. We both mean a world to each other.