There isn’t any other job title more complex or convoluted than that of MOM. Part of the reason for this confusion and complexity is that Motherhood can’t be neatly packaged into a job description Human Resources posts online when there’s a new opening. Yes, as a mother you have responsibilities, but these duties exceed those of a typical 9 to 5 job. You are accountable for the mental, physical, social, emotional, spiritual and educational well-being of each child, meaning you don’t get to call in sick and you don’t get weekends off.

Clearly Motherhood is more than a job. It is a role we step into that cloaks our other identifies under its all-consuming mantle of love and accountability. Yet there is danger in not occasionally donning something else from your “identity wardrobe.” Women who give up their careers, abandon their friendships, forfeit hobbies and activities, fail to nurture their marriage or neglect their own health and well-being may become depressed, overwhelmed, resentful, isolated, bored and lose self-esteem.

I think what sometimes happens to new mothers is that they are so entranced with their little bundle of joy that years can go by before they realize they’ve lost other parts of themselves. Pretty soon every nuance of your life is somehow tied to your role as a mother. Your socialize with other women whose children are the same age as yours; your management skills are focused on laundry, cleaning, carpooling, overseeing homework; your self-esteem is proportional to your child’s achievements; your dress code has gone from business casual to comfy and practical.

The challenge for all mothers — young or old, work or stay-at-home, single or married, multiple children or just one – is finding balance between our needs and those of our children. This column, MomMe, was created to help women find ways to achieve that balance. I welcome your questions and hope the issues we explore will assist you in building a fulfilling, harmonious life both as a woman and a mother.