Becoming a mom is one of the biggest life changing events that will ever happen to a woman.

Not only do you sacrifice your body; almost every other one of your goals is put on hold. You’re faced with making some of the hardest decisions, like whether you should get a job, go back to school, or simply stay at home.

PeopleTo society, the most logical thing to do would be to stay at home. People believe that devoting all of your time and energy to your household is the best choice, but that does not always mean not following your dreams.

Having a baby at such a young age I faced not only criticism from the community, but hard decisions that I had to make that not only would be beneficial to my life, but to my daughters as well. Should I continue my education, get a full time job or stay at home and watch over my child 24/7?

To most people, the most obvious answer would be to stay at home. Being raised in a Hispanic culture, I have seen women devote their whole lives to their families. Not that there is anything wrong with that, but what happens if one day the financials of the family fall on your lap? Don’t let the man be the plan.

I decided that I didn’t want to depend on a man to take care of me. I want to be able to say that if times get rough, I’d be able to take care of my family on my own. That is why I chose to not only stay in school, but get a part time job doing what I love so much… writing!

Ladies, don’t let society tell you otherwise, you can do whatever you put your mind to. Going back to school or getting a job doesn’t make you a bad mother; it makes you a mother that is willing to make sacrifices for the better of her family.

So change the status quo. Be more than just a caretaker. Do what you love. Learn to knit, play a sport or find any hobby that makes you the special person that you are.

There is no right or wrong way to be a mom, change it up a little.