Being a stay-at-home-mom, that is. I don't know what I thought it'd be like, but it's definitely not what I expected. I remember a teacher friend who was just coming back to the classroom at the same time that I was leaving to stay home telling me that being home is hard. And I just stared at her like "Are you kidding me?" I was so consumed with guilt for leaving my daughter with someone else all day long that I couldn't possibly imagine that being home would be hard.
But it is.
I thought my house would be cleaner. I thought I'd have more energy to play. I thought I'd occassionally get to watch grown-up TV. I didn't anticipate never peeing by myself, ever. I expected that laundry would get folded on the same day it was washed. I figured my breakfast dishes would be washed before lunch was prepared. I envisioned that I'd make delicious, healthy meals from scratch, every day. I thought I might get to paint my toenails occassionally. I didn't realize that I'd be able to write my name in the dust on my furniture. I foresaw myself doing more crafty projects with the kids. I thought I'd run 5x a week. I hoped I'd get to knit or scrapbook once a week or so...during the day. I saw myself wearing cuter clothes that didn't always have someone else's breakfast or lunch on them.
What do I do all day? I referee, chauffer, cook, clean, play, read, dress, undress, redress, wipe, blow, create, defend, sing, make-believe, shop, launder, plan, organize, schedule, doctor, nurse, counsel, locate, chase, vaccum, feed, rock, teach, and generally fascilitate the day-to-day operations of a busy family of 4.
Now, I wouldn't trade it for anything, anything. Do you understand? I MEAN that.
But, it's not what I expected.
2 comments:
A very nice write up . It is great . This could become a cult description for stay-at-home moms just like catcher in the rye became for rebel teens . Just wondering ?
Perfect. Absolutely perfect! This should go in the dictionary as the description for "stay at home mom" so then when we SAHMs are tired, ornery, whipped, jaded, etc. and go off on a little complaint, people would be educated and know exactly what we do and wouldn't say such things as, "Hmmm, well I think you're so lucky. What a luxury that you can just be with your kids all day and do whatever you want. I wish I could, but I have to work." Really? REALLY? SAHMs work 24/7/365 at, like you so wonderfully wrote, DOZENS of jobs everyday, and don't get a pay check, overtime, vacations or (usually) the respect of a job well done from others. It is hard, just as much if not more than, other parents' jobs....but as you said, most of us wouldn't give it up for anything.
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