"You're blessed."
"Must be nice."
"You're privileged."
"I wish I could but..."
These are some typical comments I get periodically from moms who work outside the home. I don't let it get to me, because I am blessed to be a stay-at-home-mom.
But today I received a different one, and I honestly do not know what brought it on other than the fact that this was a very unhappy working mom:
"You don't understand. You either stay at home or go to church."
Really.
I almost laughed.
Out loud.
{And, by the way, are you stalking me?!}
Because this conversation was happening at the local hardware store--she behind the counter, me the customer--I figured it wasn't the place to give her a run down of a typical day around here (which does not include housecleaning), but if I could, this is what I'd say in one long breath:
Inhale--up and at 'em breakfast devotions make bed discuss school work for the day with Grace laundry answer any school questions {find me in a fetal position in the corner when the algebra questions start} answer business phone calls filing accounting make deposits fit in a shower post office fix lunch more office work fold clothes iron if necessary fix dinner walk the dog relax with Sunny and Grace usually watching NCIS reruns down time before bed--Exhale.
'Gladys' must not have been peeking out her window when Grace and I left for a monthly home school field trip, or my weekly lunch with friend, or to the bi-monthly council meeting, or utility board meeting, or monthly library coffee hour/committee meeting, safety meeting, low-power FM radio meeting, harvest festival meeting, or at random times to city hall to sign checks, or to Pueblo (35 miles away) to get parts for the business, grocery shopping ETC.!
And with all of this I do still have time to enjoy my hobbies of playing the piano, reading, crafting and working my Ebay store to name a few.
Oh, and let's not forget church, which is what made me want to laugh in the first place.
Everyone's lives are different. This is the path I've chosen and am blessed to walk with my family beside me.
It's All Good!
Brenda
Oh my! Guess that lady was never a stay-at-home mom! Like you, I was blessed to be able to be home with my kids. It was a busy, busy time in my life! Now I work part-time just for the fun of it and to keep busy! What's that old saying? "Don't judge me until you've walked a mile in my shoes."
ReplyDeleteHa! That's a good one. Glad you're laughing. :)
ReplyDeleteIt's funny the conceptions people have. I did truly used to wonder, if I was a stay-at-home mom, why I spent so much time in the car. :-) I can't imagine trying to do everything I do all day into evenings and weekends after working 40 hours.
ReplyDelete