I was raised to expect to work outside the home from a young age, so when motherhood came and I suddenly wanted to stay with my children, I didn’t know how to transition into motherhood. Now, facing the reverse of that process as my children mature, I’m learning to do the opposite. So are millions of American women. So let’s use a bit of my life story to understand ladies like me.
I came to America when I was nine. When I turned 14, I took a job testing electronic chips. At 15, with the help of an aunt, I was hired as a file clerk in a large dental office. Slowly I worked my way up: From file clerk to sterilization girl, a job in which I learned to sterilize dental tools and restock rooms.
This was a large dental clinic, so the sterilization room had to be efficient—the equipment needed to be sterile and ready for use, the rooms quickly disinfected between patients and restocked with gauze and other supplies. I was young and immature, but they gave me opportunities. Eventually I was asked to fill in for a dental assistant here and there. Working after school and Saturdays, I received on-the-job training. I also took some weekend seminars and workshops to subsidize my practical knowledge.
Read the rest of the article at The Federalist.