Add news
News Every Day |

I've been laid off twice during my son's childhood. It hit me hard, and therapy helped me gain some perspective

The author needed therapy after she was laid off the first time.
  • The first time I was laid off, my son was 11 months old.
  • We had a 9% mortgage and diapers for him, but the loss of my job hit me hard emotionally.
  • The experience taught me to let go of shame and that job losses are a blip in our life.

On January 27, 2009, The Daily Show covered the continuing onslaught of jobs in what would later be called "The Great Recession." Jon Stewart announced that Pfizer, GE, and other large companies laid off thousands of employees that day. I was one of them, receiving my call from my Fortune 100 company that morning.

Our only son was a freshman at a pricey private university in an expensive East Coast city. He had merit scholarships, but we were on the hook for four years of housing and travel. Still, that was not my career's worst day, far from it.

I walked away with a year's Cadillac-plan health insurance, a lump sum, and bonuses I had saved. Our son was deep into his studies and social life and mostly oblivious to what happened at home. My husband was tenured and a full professor.

I survived because of what I learned after another layoff.

I was first laid off when he was a baby

When our son was 11 months old, my position in marketing management was eliminated. My boss and the human resources director invited me to the executive conference room. I learned that five service lines and employees were cut. I could not return to my cubicle, someone fetched my purse, and later, I received my possessions in a cardboard box via the mail.

Mortgage rates were high, and a month before our son was born, we had purchased our first home at an interest above 9%. My husband was still working on tenure; our son needed diapers, day care, and all the costly accouterments of toddlerhood.

Before my layoff, I had been struggling with post-partum depression. I had a miscarriage, my third early pregnancy loss, when our son was 5 months old. When I got home from my layoff meeting, I lay on the couch and barely got up for three months. Losing the job added to my despair, and I felt shame and embarrassment.

Therapy helped me get out

Depressed, I stopped eating and watched 13-inch black-and-white TV all day, enduring Kathie Lee Gifford's insufferable daily motherhood segment on "Regis and Kathie Lee."

I didn't hold the baby for weeks. My husband took him to and from the sitter. In addition to working full-time, he cooked and cleaned. He went through hell, holding all three of us together. He was a rock star.

When my doctor told me, "You are a nervous mother," and prescribed Valium, my husband suggested a new doctor. My new female doctor sent me to therapy. With help, I pulled myself by my fingernails out of the dark well into the light.

I felt better and took my son to the mall in his stroller. Two former co-workers waved me over to their food court table.

"Is life terrible?" one asked. I felt their pity and contempt as if I wore a huge scarlet A.

I wasn't dead — I was walking with my beautiful child. Seeing these two men who hadn't been fired changed something inside me. And what I saw behind their sorrow for me was their fear they could lose their jobs.

I wasn't afraid to lose a job anymore

I learned that I could control how I felt about myself.

I also lost the fear of losing my job, having learned I could survive. The latter is a huge asset.

As life returned to normal, I enjoyed time with my family. I've learned to treasure ordinary days without chaos, illness, and maybe a blue sky and sunshine. Nine months after losing my job, I started a better one.

I still feel guilty about how I ignored my child and left everything to my husband after my first layoff. Our family has experienced difficulties in 40 years and shared memorable times. I no longer feel shame, and those two job losses seem like a blip on a large radar screen. My first firing shaped a healthier attitude about life for me and strengthened our family despite the bad times. That we recover from our struggles is the best lesson we could give our son.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Москва

Подмосковные росгвардейцы задержали подозреваемого в мошенничестве на территории магазина

Dina Pugliese and Tim Bolen Are Hosting Breakfast Television

Jared Padalecki Teases 'Supernatural' Reunion With Jensen Ackles & Misha Collins on 'The Boys'

The Spectrum: State of the State; Columbus business leader

How 3 MILLION dogs are being slaughtered ahead of World Cup with executions & poisoned food… but Fifa is doing nothing

Ria.city






Read also

LASG to prosecute woman for improper waste disposal

Marysville man, 82, to spend 24 years in prison for child sex abuse

Why Account Validation Changes When Banks Say Yes

News, articles, comments, with a minute-by-minute update, now on Today24.pro

News Every Day

How 3 MILLION dogs are being slaughtered ahead of World Cup with executions & poisoned food… but Fifa is doing nothing

Today24.pro — latest news 24/7. You can add your news instantly now — here


News Every Day

How 3 MILLION dogs are being slaughtered ahead of World Cup with executions & poisoned food… but Fifa is doing nothing



Sports today


Новости тенниса
Даниил Медведев

Даниил Медведев проиграл в полуфинале турнира Masters в Индиан-Уэллсе



Спорт в России и мире
Москва

Как избежать травм в тренажерном зале: техника безопасности



All sports news today





Sports in Russia today

Москва

Как избежать травм в тренажерном зале: техника безопасности


Новости России

Game News

В новом кроссовере DC X Sonic The Hedgehog читатели узнают кто быстрее — Флэш или Соник


Russian.city


Москва

ТСД SAOTRON RT41 GUN: практичный, производительный, надёжный


Губернаторы России
Актёр

Актер из сериала «Москва. Три вокзала» Виталий Мещеряков умер в возрасте 57 лет


Регулярные хоккейные турниры "Прорыв" 08-12 мая 2025г.

Песков: обострение ситуации в Газе и жертвы вызывают обеспокоенность Кремля

Отделение СФР по Москве и Московской области назначило единое пособие родителям с детьми до 17 лет и беременным женщинам с учетом новых правил

это строка мета тайтл - заполненные данные реальные


В Петербурге исполнили посвященную Мравинскому симфонию Шостаковича

Концерт «Душеполезные песни на каждый день» проходит в Пскове. ФОТО

Арбенина зарядила на секторе вместе с болельщиками «Спартака» перед матчем с «Зенитом»

Певец Noize MC признался, что не считал Литву чужой страной перед эмиграцией


Андреева обыграла Соболеву и победила в финале WTA в Индиан-Уэллсе

«Удержаться сложнее!»: Кафельников об успехе Андреевой на турнире серии WTA-1000

Елена Рыбакина получила приятный сюрприз от WTA после неудачного выступления

Россиянка Андреева обыграла белоруску Соболенко в финале турнира в США



Женские спортивные сообщества и формирование субкультур

Как тренироваться для подготовки к марафону

Подмосковные росгвардейцы задержали подозреваемого в мошенничестве на территории магазина

Как избежать травм в тренажерном зале: техника безопасности


В Омске завершился международный кинофестиваль «Свидание с Россией. Сибирский характер» имени Михаила Ульянова

Сергей Собянин: Участок соединит две магистрали

Росгвардия проводит набор сотрудников для службы во вневедомственной охране Луганской Народной Республики

Сотрудники Росгвардии Адыгеи стали победителями турнира «Динамо» по стрельбе


«Хорошие новости» для жителей Самарской области на президентской платформе «Россия – страна возможностей»

Сборная России может сыграть с командой из Европы

В московском Центре подготовки Росгвардии прошел чемпионат по стрельбе из боевого оружия

Овчинский: в ЕИСЖС передано более тысячи разрешений на строительство с 2024 года



Путин в России и мире






Персональные новости Russian.city
Олег Митяев

Концерт Олега Митяева в Пскове отменили по техническим причинам



News Every Day

Liverpool emerge as frontrunners to sign Chelsea & Newcastle United transfer target




Friends of Today24

Музыкальные новости

Персональные новости