Mothers Day: They are great mothers, but they are never at home

Bengaluru: Gone are the days when all mothers did was to manage their homes and children.Mothers now hold high-powered positions, switch between boardroom meetings and client calls, have rigorous travel schedules spanning multiple locations, and successfully manage their homes and children.So how do these moms manage it remotely yet efficiently?

"A mother is required to be around when the children need her. But it does not necessarily mean that she has to be physically present. It is wrong to assume that being at home ensures that the mother is available to the children at all times and not being at home means the mother is not available. I have always tried to plan, prioritize and to create some predictable schedules, both at work and at home. I have also ensured that I have enough support and I do not hesitate to ask for help. I try not be a SUPER WOMAN, as I'm happy just being a WOMAN!" says Uma Pendyala, who has a high-powered job as Head- Business Operations at SecurEyes, a company providing consulting and suptech cybersecurity products and solutions to government and non-government sectors.

Although parenting is nota mother's responsibility only, even today, children look up more to their mothers when it comes to fulfilling their emotional needs and the women of today are an inspiration when it comes to managing it.

"Being a stay-at-home mother was never a choice for me. I realized that children learn to adapt to a working mother very soon. A mother will always ensure that her children are well cared for, this need not be only through staying at home with them. A qualified, working woman is as much an asset to society as she is to her home. I was very happy working on verifying cutting-edge, safety-critical software in the initial stages of my career and later, as a faculty member, teaching and mentoring young, talented minds, along with pursuing research. My children now respect me more for what I am and know that I will be around for them whenever they need me, without fail," agrees Meenakshi D'Souza, Professor at International Institute of Information Technology Bangalore (IIIT- B) who feels that she was also fortunate to have a joint family when her 2 boys were growing up. A mother's heart is always with her children. But that should not restrict her in achieving her dreams, feels Sangeeta Lala who is President-Retail and co-founder of Fanzart, designers and manufacturers of luxury fans, a job that makes her travel across the country.

"Though I travel extensively, I always try to strike a balance between family and work. My children are very understanding and that has helped. But I always take out time for the family amidst my busy schedule," concludes Sangeeta Lala.