“Defying Expectations: Balancing Motherhood and Professionalism in ELT”

Hello fellow ELT professionals,

I have been away for a few months, but that’s for a good cause: I’ve recently found out that I’m pregnant with a baby girl! Her name is going to be Sarah, and my husband and I are very happy!

Yes, I know! That’s one of the greatest news one can receive, right? And I have to say, I’m very happy. And yes, the objective of this text has to do with motherhood, but not exactly the way you think. Let me tell you a quick anecdote.

As soon as I received the great news, I was bombarded with a bunch of expectations from experienced moms and experienced fellow professionals. “Ah, you’re not going to be able to do as many things as you used to, professionally!”, “Get ready because she’s going to take all your time!”, along with “You’re not enjoying your pregnancy as much as you should! If I were you, I would be going crazy buying baby clothes and getting everything ready for her arrival”.

And listen, I’m not going to bring here the classic gender roles and expectations which come with bringing a baby to this world. I’m talking about society expectancy over families in general. Trust me, I know for a fact that the conversations about newborn babies among men are not that different.

How about this? If it’s all up to me, I’ll still be going around conferences, presenting my research and my findings to fellow teachers. I may have to take Sarah with me from time to time, but I’m sure she’ll be very proud to have a momma who has a passion for her work and her life’s purpose. I may have to stop for some periods from time to time, but I do believe that when I come back, I’ll still have a lot to share, and my findings will still be meaningful somehow. 

And if you are a full-time mom for now, know this: I love you and I cherish you! My opinion on my future motherhood doesn’t really make your position invalid! It’s all about respecting each other’s point of views and perspectives towards life. After all, it’s about the liberty of being who you would like to be, isn’t it!