Enter Our Having It All Essay Contest

Since coming back to work I keep trying to explain to my older daughter (shown in the photo) that I’m not choosing work over her. I can’t seem to get it right. No matter how I frame it, it sounds just like that – like I am away from her for 50 hours a week because I choose to be. Then I realized, it sounds like that because I am choosing to be away from her. So, what the heck am I doing here? I’m not working because I love it more than my two girls. I can’t really say it’s because of the money; with some big changes we could live on one salary. So, what is it? What it is, is complicated. 

My challenge is to carve out time for a career I love (I'm the new editor of parenting.com!) while still making family first, a feat I’m not even sure is possible. What’s your challenge? What decisions have you made? What sacrifices or compromises? Or were there none because today is a time where women get to make decisions and yours were clear? 

Tell us, in 500 words or less, what it’s like to be a parent today. Can moms and dads really have it all? Your essay could win $1,200 and appear in the magazine. Two runners-up will win $200 and appear on parenting.com. 

ENTER NOW>>

Read the official rules.