“I Can’t Understand Why They Chose Parenthood Now”: Both Climbing the Corporate Ladder, Leaving Childcare to the Nanny

Anna and Michael had always been the quintessential power couple. From their days at the university, where they met during an economics seminar, to climbing the ranks at their respective corporate firms in downtown Chicago, they had always prioritized their careers above all else. Their friends often joked that Anna and Michael were more likely to open a new branch office than a nursery.

However, to the surprise of everyone, including Anna’s mother, Penelope, the couple announced they were expecting a child. Penelope, a retired school teacher, couldn’t hide her confusion and concern. She loved her daughter and son-in-law dearly but knew firsthand the demands of their jobs.

“Why now?” Penelope asked Anna over coffee one afternoon, trying to mask her worry with a smile. “You and Michael are at the peak of your careers. Is this really the right time?”

Anna, sipping her latte, looked up with a tired but determined gaze. “It’s never the right time, Mom. But we want this. We can manage.”

Penelope wasn’t convinced. Over the months that followed, she watched as Anna and Michael hired Madeline, a full-time nanny with excellent references, to handle the majority of the childcare for their newborn son, Nathan. Madeline was capable and kind, but Penelope felt a pang in her heart every time she saw Madeline pushing the stroller down the street, her daughter nowhere in sight.

As Nathan grew, so did the gap between his parents’ aspirations and their familial presence. Anna received a promotion, requiring even more travel than before, and Michael was often locked in his home office, his eyes glued to spreadsheets and market forecasts well into the night.

One chilly evening in November, Penelope visited unannounced and found Madeline alone with Nathan, reading him a bedtime story. “Where are Anna and Michael?” Penelope inquired, her voice tinged with frustration.

“They had to attend a last-minute business dinner,” Madeline replied, her voice neutral, accustomed to the routine.

Penelope sat down beside Nathan’s crib as Madeline excused herself for the night. Looking at her grandson, whose eyes were heavy with sleep, Penelope felt a deep sadness. Nathan was growing up beautifully, but without the daily presence of his parents. It was a situation she had feared from the start.

Months turned into years, and the pattern remained unchanged. Nathan’s first words, his first steps, his first day at preschool—all were milestones that Anna and Michael learned about through Madeline’s detailed notes and occasional video clips.

One particularly stark winter day, Penelope received a call from Anna, her voice cracking with unspoken stress. “Mom, Michael and I are considering a separation,” she confessed. “We just don’t have time for each other anymore, let alone for Nathan.”

Penelope felt her heart sink. She had seen it coming, yet it stung with the sharpness of unexpected news. As she comforted her daughter, she couldn’t help but think back to their conversation years ago over coffee. Had Anna and Michael really been ready for this? Or had they underestimated the personal sacrifices their ambitions would demand?

In the end, Penelope knew she would be there for Nathan, perhaps even more now. But as she hung up the phone, she couldn’t shake the feeling of regret that maybe, just maybe, things could have been different if only they had waited.