Friday, April 17, 2009

Things You Should Never Ever say to a Stay-At-Home-Mom

  • Do you work?
(Nope. Never.)

  • What exactly do you do all day?
(Mostly watch TV and eat chocolate because, you know, the house cleans itself, the laundry washes itself, the dishes wash themselves, etc., etc...)

  • I thought that you could take care of this because you don't have a job.
(Oh, you bet. I have a buttload of spare time because I never ever do anything.)

  • I wish that I didn't have a job and could stay home all day.
(That's right. Having no job and staying home all day is a frickin' picnic.

  • I'm really looking forward to my paid vacation.
(Vacation? Paid!?! I will cut your femoral artery and watch you bleed to death.)


I've had it several ways. I've been a full time SAHM, a part time employee/full time mom and a full time employee/full time mom. I definitely prefer full time SAHM to the other options.

Mothering and wifing is hard work. It is also the most fulfilling work that I have ever done. I respect mothers who can keep a job and still run their house, because I CAN'T. I have tried. My husband tried to pitch in and take on more of the housework, but I just don't see how all those working moms do it. Of course, I have a lot of flexibility in my schedule and, as my husband has pointed out, I can take a nap at my job if I want. That's pretty awesome. But my job is hard work.

Excuse me. Spongebob is on and the television is calling my name.

1 comment:

Cristina Lejardi said...

Who are the morons that are saying such things? They're clearly challenged and delusional.

I don't have a husband or children yet. I currently only have to look after myself. I only have to do my own laundry, wash my own dishes, clean up after myself, make my own meals, run my own errands, worry about my own health insurnace, etc. And you know what? Those things take TIME as it is. I can't even begin to imagine the time, effort, and commitment it must take to do all of those things for oneself, a husband, animals, AND kids! Not to mention changing diapers, healing boo-boos, giving baths, making bottles, acting as a chauffer, helping with homework, playing with cars, wiping up spilled juice, searching for lost sippy cups, breaking up fights, kissing away tears, cleaning up vomit, worrying about bratty kids at school, reading bedtime stories, picking up a million toys, potty training, doctor appointments, parent-teacher conferences, chicken pox, and on and on. In my singleness, I readily admit that I have no clue whatsoever just how much time and effort all of those things (and more) must take. I can't even imagine the level of multi-tasking that must be going on there.

Anyone who thinks stay at home moms are living on easy street, watching soaps and napping the day away is a deluded imbecile. Stay at home moms clearly have one of, if not THE, busiest and toughest jobs there is. It requires patience, love, endurance, intelligence, perseverance, muscle, humor, creativity, and a million other characteristics. I salute you for it, and deeply admire you!

Now go backhand those people! I insist.