• When my kids were young, I wanted to stay home with them and be there for their firsts.
• Now that they're older, I want to return to a full-time position.
• The gap in my résumé is an obstacle, and I also want flexible hours.

Before having my first child in 2020, I worked every weekend and many holidays as an award-winning television reporter. The combination of motherhood and the pandemic inspired me to stay home with my children instead of sending them to day care as infants. Fortunately, my husband's career took off at the same time, allowing us to have that option.

Now I have two kids — a 4-year-old son and a 2-year-old daughter — and like many mothers, I've always struggled to find the right balance between spending quality time with my kids and wanting to excel in my profession.

I stayed home with my kids when they were young

Initially, I thought I'd return to work when my son was 1, but finding childcare was difficult. It was hard for me to focus on the job search without it, and shortly after starting the job search, I learned I was pregnant again. My pregnancy and a lack of suitable day care with open spots led me to continue staying home, working on occasional freelance projects.

I enjoyed spending the first two years of my son's life at home with him, nursing him around the clock and being there for his first words and steps. I wanted to give my daughter the same undivided attention. So, a few months after she was born, our son started day care. We figured he could learn how to socialize and make friends while also learning from people who've devoted their lives to early childhood education.

The years flew by. We bonded through nursing on demand, and I enjoyed witnessing her learn to walk and talk. I took her to storytime at the library and saw such joy in her eyes as she interacted with other children. By the time my daughter was 2, we decided to send her to day care as well. I knew she was ready — and frankly, I was ready to re-enter the workforce and take my career to the next level.

But finding an affordable day care with an open spot was like finding a needle in a haystack. I lucked out, and she started going to day care for about six hours a day. I've had to increase my freelance projects to pay for it, which has left me with little time to apply for jobs.

I'm enjoying the flexibility freelancing offers, but now that my kids are older, I desire higher pay, benefits, and dependable income. It's an unstable field, and it's hard to make the same amount of money freelancing as I did in my reporting career without working excessive hours, so I've started to casually look for full-time remote roles.

However, this time around, I'm prioritizing a better work-life balance. I want the flexibility to tend to my children when needed, whether they're sick, have a half-day at school, or are out for spring or winter breaks.

It's a competitive job market, and the gap in my résumé is an obstacle

With the numerous layoffs in the news industry, finding remote positions is extremely competitive, even for a veteran journalist like myself, who is bilingual, college-educated, and a Fulbright alum. Often, I'll see that positions on LinkedIn receive hundreds of applications within a day of being posted. Before quitting my previous reporting role, I don't think I fully comprehended how difficult it'd be to re-enter the workforce.

The gap in my résumé also feels daunting. Should I put stay-at-home mom on my résumé, or should I just list the freelance projects I've worked on? During the application process, I've struggled to explain the varied transferable skills and experience I've acquired since leaving my full-time position.

I've done everything from writing for national publications to self-publishing my second book. I blog about my travels and create content for Instagram. I delved into marketing by pitching and promoting my book and blog for two daytime television shows. I've also acquired management skills as chairperson of our family reunion board of directors and fundraised to host two 100-person weekend-long events. But how do I succinctly capture that and previous working experience in a résumé or during a phone interview?

I've wondered if stating I'm self-employed sends my résumé into the rejection pile. Finding full-time employment after taking a break to care for my children has been harder than I envisioned. But, I'm confident the right position will come along, one that utilizes my talents, piques my interest, and pays me at least the same salary I made before, while also allowing me to spend nights, weekends, and holidays with my children.

• I tried chicken tenders from three fast-food restaurants: Zaxbys, PDQ, and Chick-fil-A.
• The chicken tenders from Zaxby's were my least favorite of the three I tried.
• I liked the seasoning on the tenders from PDQ, but overall, my favorite ones came from Chick-fil-A.

In my opinion, fried chicken tenders are as American as apple pie.

However, every fast-food restaurant has its own take on the classic meal, so I decided to visit three chains — Zaxby's, PDQ, and Chick-fil-A — to see how their offerings compared.

Here's what I thought of the chicken tenders at each spot.

Prices may vary by location.

I started at my local Chick-fil-A restaurant.

To kick things off, I stopped by my local Chick-fil-A. The brand, which first opened in Atlanta in 1967, now has more than 3,000 locations across the US, Puerto Rico, and Canada.

When I stepped inside, I ordered the three-count chicken strips, which cost me $5.45.

I really enjoyed the chicken tenders from Chick-fil-A.

I enjoyed the Chick-Fil-A chicken tenders because they were crispy and had the right amount of seasoning.

They were also reasonably priced for such a decent portion size.

Next, I went to PDQ, a fast-food restaurant that predominantly operates in Florida.

After visiting Chick-Fil-A, I traveled to a nearby to PDQ, a chain restaurant known for its chicken tenders, salads, and sandwiches.

The first PDQ opened in Tampa in 2011, and the chain now has 58 locations, most of which are in Florida. However, there are also a few restaurants in North Carolina, New Jersey, and New York.

Here, I ordered three crispy chicken tenders for $7.

The chicken from PDQ was very tender.

The tenders were tasty, and they appeared to be a little larger than the ones I got from Chick-fil-A.

When I bit into one, the inside was so tender it fell apart. Although this made them a little harder to eat, I was impressed by how fresh the tenders seemed.

I also thought they were seasoned nicely.

Finally, I stopped at Zaxby's.

I traveled down the road a few miles to Zaxby's, a fast-food chain that specializes in chicken fingers and wings. Founded in 1990 in Statesboro, GA, the chain now has more than 950 locations, mostly in the South and Midwest.

To get the most for my money, the cashier suggested I order a kid's meal, which came with two chicken tenders, fries, a rice krispie treat, and a drink for $5.70.

Zaxby's tenders were salty but flavorful.

When I took a bite, I thought these chicken tenders tasted salty. This made sense because after looking at each restaurant's nutrition information online, it seemed as though the Zaxby's chicken contained the most sodium.

Despite that, though, they were pretty flavorful. Although they appeared to have less seasoning on them than the ones I got at PDQ, I still tasted a hint of pepper. They were cooked perfectly too, and very tender.

However, because of the salty flavor, these tenders were my least favorite of the three I tried.

Overall, the chicken tenders from Chick-fil-A were my favorite.

When it comes to plain, crispy, fried chicken tenders, Chick-fil-A was the clear winner. These had the right amount of seasoning, were reasonably priced, and came in the perfect portion size.

I can definitely see myself returning to Chick-fil-A for more in the future.