An After Thought, Parenting & Relationships

These 3 Working Mothers Are Giving Us Serious Relationship Goals!

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Mother’s Day is just around the corner but where are the working mothers? Are they equally excited about Mother’s Day? Or are they still busy with their ‘priority’ – their work? Working mothers many times are at the receiving end of family, relatives, neighbors and society who have a contrasting opinion about them pursuing a career. Plus the constant guilt that haunts working mothers, of course, it’s immensely burdening!
So taking cues from these universal pointers, we decided to peep into the lives of three working mothers. We asked them a couple of questions and what we found about their lives is giving us Serious Relationship Goals!

–♦–

Ruchita Dar Shah


Founder and CMO (Chief Mommy Officer) of ‘First Moms Club’ which is the largest group (51.5K members) of Indian mothers across the globe on Facebook and a mother of two kids.


Ruchita Dar Shah is an ex-advertising professional and has worked with agencies like RK Swamy BBDO & Mudra Delhi prior to motherhood.  Here’s the excerpt from the interview:

Q) A sabbatical for the initial period of motherhood or not & when did you again take up full-time work?

Ruchita: I did take a sabbatical after my first son was born. I tried going back to full-time work after my son turned 18 mths. But advertising can be extremely erratic & I personally couldn’t keep up and felt super guilty. So I started freelancing. Since I was an art director it was easier for me to do so. Working from home helped me find some kind of balance.
I started the First Moms Club after my second son was born and for a long time, it was just a small intimate group but today my life is very different. Running a community across so many social media platforms for Indian Moms, who are based in 60 countries is very very ‘full time’.

Q) Work-Life Balance Management?

Ruchita: For the longest time I was only working from home. Anyway, the concept of work-life balance changes every day. Some days I feel like I am doing a great job and often I feel quite crappy and could do so much better.

Q) Do you feel guilty of not giving enough time to your child?

Ruchita: Yes, I do! But then I tell myself that its part of the journey, move on and don’t dwell too much on it. I also don’t try doing everything for my kids. I’d rather be a happy mom than a super mom. Quite often I involve my kids in my work because so much of my work is about kids, motherhood or parenting. I can always ask their opinion and get some really cute & honest answers. Sometimes I have even asked them to come up with names for the contests that we have on FMC. They love being part of my work, especially during events.
Working mothers are you listening?

Q) Daily Routine Post-Motherhood & Work?

Ruchita: When you run an online community and so much of your work is on social media, one doesn’t have a set pattern. I like it that way. To be honest, I actually thrive on it. I am not someone who can do the same thing every day. Some days I have events to attend, some are about meetings, while other days could be just about writing a blog or creating funny content for First Moms Club.
Working mothers do you chase Perfection or Let go?

Q) What is the motivation factor that drives you to stay strong as a working mother?

Ruchita: I think I just have a great MOM, who has always been a working mother and even today she works harder than me so I guess it comes from there. Also, I have been lucky to have a great family (especially husband) who supports & encourages me constantly. When I look around I see so many women who have it way tougher than me and yet are working mothers doing such amazing work, so who am I to complain! 
I mostly go by my gut and am very very passionate about my work. 
and this what FMC is for her..

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Ghazal Alagh


Co-Founder and Chief Mom – ‘MamaEarth’. It is Asia’s 1st MadeSafe certified toxin-free brand which has skin & hair care products for babies & soon to be launched similar range for mothers.


Ghazal is a corporate trainer turned artist turned entrepreneur; excerpts of her interview here:

Q) A sabbatical for the initial period of motherhood or not & when did you again take up full-time work?

Ghazal: I did take complete six months off from my work when Agastya was born. But since I was not in a professional office kind of an environment, it was never called a ‘sabbatical’. It was more of a choice that I made. Agastya was so tiny and little, and I was a new mother. It took us time to adjust to each other both physically and mentally. I still continued to paint though, whenever I got a little time.

Q) Work-Life Balance Management?

Ghazal: Ah, balancing motherhood and a start-up business is a challenge for sure! Let me be honest, I rarely work when Agastya is awake & around me as his well-being is a top priority for me. I get 4 good hours when he is at school which I use for all my social interactions which require me to be physically or otherwise present. Else nights, early morning hours & black coffee are my best friends. I use that time to do all the thinking, planning, writing & emailing. I have realized if we have a strong purpose behind what we are doing we will find the time and energy to do it.

Q) Do you feel guilty of not giving enough time to your child?

Ghazal: Agastya has always been my first priority. So, at least till now, I haven’t felt that I don’t give him enough time.

Q) Daily routine like post Motherhood & Work?

Ghazal: A day in my life passes too quickly, I wish I could add a few extra hours to it. The pressure of achieving deadlines of work for the day and also taking some time out to spend some quality time with my son keeps it interesting.

Q) What is the one thing motherhood has taught you?

Ghazal: Motherhood teaches you a lot of things, it’s like learning something new every single day. One thing that motherhood has taught me is Patience. I never knew that I could go on repeating one thing for like a hundred times to no results in the end without losing my mind :p
Working mothers, do you also manage time like PRO?

Q) Incident/challenges that left you in a fix of choosing work or family?

Ghazal: Whenever, it is about making a choice between family and work, I generally choose family first, make sure they are comfortable and then take over the challenge at work. I don’t know how to function otherwise.
But yes, this one time when I had to chose between staying home to take care of my son who was unwell and attending the launch of our brand MamaEarth, was a really tough one. I went for the launch after asking his grandmother to come and help us take care of him. I am blessed that ways, Agastya’s grandparents are always there to support us.
Practical advice for working mothers..

–♦–

Vagda Kanwar Trivedi


She heads the IT, Operations & Two Wheeler Sales at Maruti Insurance Broking Pvt Ltd., India’s largest broking firm.


Excerpts from her interview for this mother’s day special post:

Q) Were you working before motherhood?

Vagda: Yes, I have been working since I was 19 yrs. old. I am a workaholic.

Q) A sabbatical for the initial period of motherhood or not & when did you again take up full-time work?

Vagda: I am a mother of two, both the kids were born prematurely.  After the first child, I was on leave for about an year. Then I joined back and very soon my second child came. After the second child, I joined post the maternity leave which was of about 6 months. Now my kids are 3 and 5.
Being in a nuclear family, it was a very difficult decision to join back work after two children. Kids went to the daycare as I could never rely on the maids nor did I find someone really good.

Q) Work-Life Balance Management?

Vagda: Two little kids & a full-time traveling job, somewhere the life has come to a standstill. But I think it is a phase! I am giving 100% at both work & home. I am extremely happy with the way I am able to strike a balance, with the support of my husband.

Q) Do you feel guilty in front of your child?

Vagda: Yes, it happens often and it’s natural. I cry and then I laugh. I think it happens with all the mothers. Also, I feel kids learn much more when put in the daycare or a good crèche. They get exposure which cannot happen at home. But yes the choice of daycare is very important.

Q) What is the one thing motherhood has taught you?

Vagda: I had always heard ‘Motherhood’ is a beautiful experience and yes it is. Nothing remains to be more important than your kids. It has taught me, the extent of love a person can have! We, women, have so much inside of us. I am a very strong person and emotions don’t flow in easily but the moment I see my kids, I feel I become a different person altogether.
Working mothers, have you got stuck in a fix to choose between Kids & Career anytime?

Q) What is the motivation factor that drives you to stay strong as a working mother?

Vagda: My kids. I am proud of the way they are growing up. I proudly say that though my kids get a very little of my time but I find them more mature and more involved with each other than the kids I see around. Their bonding, their sense of responsibility is amazing. They are independent, have their own views about things at the age of 3 and 5, which I feel happened because I was working.
Just like my mother had set an example for me, I want the right example to be set in front of my daughter.
Insightful advice isn’t it working mothers!

Liked this post, felt motivated? Then show your love for us in the form of a comment, share & likes! 

(4) Comments

  1. Thanks for the wonderful interviews. Motherhood is indeed like a roller-coaster ride with ups and downs.

    1. True that. It was quite motivating to know more about such wonderful women.

  2. This post is awesome..they are successful so their tips and advice are much practical and easy to follow. I know Ghazal personally coz I have worked with Mamaearth brand.

  3. These look great!! 🙂 Thank you for sharing this..

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