Up Close & Personal: To work or not to work?

A big question for mums, especially new ones, is whether to return to work. If the answer is yes, then another question quickly follows: when should you go back?

Many factors contribute to this decision. Mums have to decide what is best for the child, and whether the family needs the extra income. For some, there's also the guilt associated with leaving a newborn with a family member or a helper.

The decision was an easy one for me - I decided to return to work. Not only would it have been a huge struggle to raise a child on my husband's salary, I had a job that I enjoyed. I had never envisioned myself being a stay-at-home mum.

My parents both worked while my sister and I were growing up, and much of their parental role was taken on by my grandparents. It was my grandmother who picked us up from school, and we waited at her house until my mum had finished work. We spent most the school holidays there, too.

I don't feel I missed out on anything, or was second-best to my mum's job. Quite the opposite. Christmas and two weeks' holiday every summer had a special meaning for me, as I got to spend time with my parents. Spending time with them every day during the annual holiday made me appreciate their company even more.

One lasting memory is that, although she worked, my mum always managed to attend every school event. Coming after work, she always arrived looking very smart, too. It's funny what you remember as a child.

So while some of my friends struggled with the decision, I did not. I don't have any family living in Hong Kong, so I hired a domestic helper to look after my firstborn and returned to work. I now have three children, but I still work.