Serena Williams on Being a Working Mom
Serena Williams Receives So Much Support After Opening Up About Her Motherhood "Funk"
Serena Williams is not only 23-time Grand Slam champion, but she's truly established herself as a voice for anyone struggling with postpartum depression. Since welcoming her first child, Alexis Olympia Ohanian, Jr., in September of 2017, Serena has been incredibly open about the highs and lows of motherhood, about her struggles with postpartum emotions, and most recently, about finding a balance between work and motherhood. Last week, she suffered the worst loss of her entire career — losing to Johanna Konta in a match that lasted only 52 minutes — but it wasn't the game that had her feeling down, it was "a funk" that had her questioning her skills as a mother.
Serena shared an open and raw message on social media detailing these emotions, as well as her advice and perspective about finding a work-life balance. "Last week was not easy for me. Not only was I accepting some tough personal stuff, but I just was in a funk. Mostly, I felt like I was not a good mom," she wrote, explaining that communicating with her loved ones has helped her immensely.
She added, "It's totally normal to feel like I'm not doing enough for my baby. We have all been there. I work a lot, I train, and I'm trying to be the best athlete I can be. However, that means although I have been with her every day of her life, I'm not around as much as I would like to be. Most of you moms deal with the same thing. Whether stay-at-home or working, finding that balance with kids is a true art. You are the true heroes."
For new moms, it can be incredibly difficult to have to be away from your newborn, but Serena wants anyone struggling to know that there is a light at the end of the tunnel, because tomorrow is a new day. She closed her message with this, "I'm here to say: if you are having a rough day or week — it's OK — I am, too!!! There's always tomm!"
Since posting this message, Serena has received an outpouring of support from both parents who have battled similar emotions and others who just want her to know she's doing an incredible job. Read on to see some empowering responses.
