Mamaearth’s Ghazal Alagh cries after not accompanying son to school

“Am I a bad mother?” this is what Mamaearth’s Ghazal Alagh wrote while sharing a LinkedIn post on the struggles of working mothers. She said that the question kept coming to her mind after she couldn’t accompany her son on his first day of school.
“I cried, felt guilty and put up a brave face to see him off with his Dadi to school. That’s what you have to do as a working mother who can’t take days off sometimes, no matter how much you want,” Ghazal Alagh wrote on LinkedIn. In the following lines, she added the “precious moments” of his son’s life that she will miss. Further, she talked about her “support system”.
Since being shared, the post has collected over 1,200 reactions. The share has also accumulated tons of comments from people.
“I could have never done it without my friends & neighbours! Who readily supported me by taking care of my son in case work kept me longer & my husband would be travelling then,” shared a LinkedIn user.
“I am also a working mother; now that school is over, we are still sending our daughter to summer camp and whatnot just to get her occupied for three hours so that I can manage some work as we have zero support system despite asking. It’s heart-quenching when everyone asks, ‘Why are you still sending? You are spoiling her holidays and all’. And trust me, it’s just three hours, and for the rest of the day, I still manage to WFH and engage her. We have a great time on weekends and are planning a vacation, but mother’s guilt for those three hrs is always there. I sometimes wonder about people who talk. Now, does that count as a bad mother? Don’t know, but I know I am building a great future for my daughter,” posted another.
“I agree. Staying away for just a few minutes from a child is heartmelting for mothers, and working the whole day with a heavy heart and so much guilt and passion for doing something for the child and as a profession is something different. Ghazal Alagh, I wish you great support as well. You are truly an inspiration for many working mothers,” expressed a third.
“You are not a bad mother. You are the coolest mom Agastya could have, Ghazal Alagh. You’re doing your best by providing for your child and ensuring they have a loving support system with dadi. It’s heartwarming to hear about your multi-generational living arrangement, which fosters a nurturing environment for your child while allowing you to pursue your professional goals,” commented a fourth.
“I totally agree with you, Ghazal Alagh; I am also a working mother who missed many moments of my kid’s memorable days, but I have the support of my MIL, who is always there. I, too, believe living in a joint family greatly helps working parents. My support system is my MIL,” wrote a fifth.