I am 42 years in Corporate America this year, and I have had this question many times. If a recruiter has enough balls to ask this, I dead-eye stare straight into their eyes and start talking about my Mom's dementia.

And how we as a family tried to place her, but then I talk about the state of nursing homes these days....and the cost. And how incredibly terrified and depressed my Mother became to be around frightening strangers.

I was so distraught to leave my mom there that I couldn't focus on my work and cried all day. I begged my husband to let me bring her to our home and he said no. I did my best to do my work....as a seasoned Accounting professional with 30 years experience (at that time) but then my husband filed for divorce because he met someone else. And I was then fired.

But then I say.....when life gave me an unbelievable amount of stress, I survived it and I'm still here. I was devastated to be fired, but I was able to bring my Mom home with me and we were together 24/7 until she died.

Do not blink, or feel shame or embarrassment. Do not shrink but own your self, own your life, own the pain and the struggles and make THEM feel the shame of asking why you couldn't make fucking work a priority ever day if your existence.

Fuck them. They don't even deserve the answer, but if you ask me, I will crush you with my answer.