1 A Year of Memory Marbles Piling Up

When the year ends, I naturally look back, but regrets tend to surface before accomplishments, leaving me feeling disappointed. I didn’t keep up with my English studies as I’d planned, didn’t feel I’d spent enough time with my kids, and didn’t save much money. But when I really think about it, I raised my children this year while working full-time. It sounds simple when you say it like that, but in reality, I juggled quite a lot at once. Every morning, amid the chaos, I’d put on makeup and try to look presentable for work while getting my kids ready for daycare. During work hours, I did my job diligently, and even after working straight through until six, I’d “clock in” again at home—feeding the kids, bathing them, and putting them to bed.

Honestly, when I asked myself, “What did you accomplish this year?” I felt sad that I didn’t have any achievements I could point to with confidence. In the past, there was always at least one milestone worth remembering each year—getting a job, getting married, changing jobs. But after having kids, I felt like I was missing a lot because of my busy life, and time just kept slipping by. That said, I came to realize that delivering results at work while taking good care of my children for the past year is itself a significant accomplishment. And I believe that all this hectic time we’ve spent isn’t just time that’s passed us by. Like the memory marbles in the movie “Inside Out,” it’s been stacking up piece by piece into meaningful moments for both our kids and us as parents.

2 A Year of Striving to Be a Better Person

One day, I came across a video featuring comedian Suji Lee, who said something that stuck with me: “One thing you can guarantee about raising kids is that you become a better person.” I completely agreed. In my twenties, I’d drink late into the night and throw around profanity in group chats with friends. It didn’t bother me then, but after having kids, that version of myself started to feel incompatible with who I am as a mom. Being someone’s mother means I think twice before saying anything and am more careful about my actions because the kids might see and learn from me. I try not to lose my temper as easily as I used to, and no matter how busy I am, I make an effort to keep promises I make to my children. I’ve often thought I can’t become an adult whose words and actions don’t match. These changes weren’t on my list of goals for the year—they just happened naturally as I raised my kids day by day and learned to be more patient, thoughtful, and intentional about my choices. So when I look back on this year, even though I didn’t accomplish anything remarkable, I feel like it was a year where I kept trying to become a better person.

Reading parenting books or watching parenting influencers often made me feel like I was the only one not doing things right. That’s why I wanted to write my column without tips, answers, or lessons—just so people could think, “Oh, this is how one mom lives,” relate a little, and maybe reflect on their own days for a moment. The truth is, I’m not some amazing working mom who does everything well—I still fumble through each day. Even while writing this column, I’ve been a delinquent columnist, often missing deadlines.

Writing about the life of an ordinary working mom felt embarrassing, so I’ve been publishing these pieces anonymously. Each time, trying to choose photos where my kids’ faces weren’t clearly visible was really difficult. Since this is my final column, I chose photos where you can actually see their faces 😊
Thank you for reading my pieces, for quietly relating to them, and for cheering me on. Finally, I want to offer my heartfelt support to all the working moms and working dads at our company who are doing their best today!