Sometimes I need help understanding even though I am one of those moms that stays home. It's so easy to say "oh, not much" when someone asks you what you did that day. I can't say I "made a presentation to the board" unless I am referring to teaching my kids about Columbus. I can't say I "signed on a new client" unless I mean I had a baby a few months ago.
What we do consists of many projects that are never done. Dishes. Laundry. Cleaning. Making meals. Grocery shopping. Changing diapers. Wouldn't it be amazing if we did the dishes and then said, "Great! That's finished." and walked away from the sink forever?
When I worked I received all kinds of feedback from co-workers, my supervisor and families. My job was tough, but those words of reassurance stretched me further and helped me continue on. At home, who sees what we do? Pretty much just our spouses. This means that their praise (or lack there of) carries so much more weight.
This article does a good job of putting into words those things that we do that are often hard to put into words and that we often don't realize we are doing. They are not concrete tasks that can be finished, they are on-going things that contribute to the rearing of these little people that are at home with us.
Click on the image to make it larger and readable.
So, if no one has told you yet today (whether you stay at home or not)... You are AMAZING. You do SO very much. Thank you.
Hmmm...what to say...what to say....
ReplyDeleteYou know that "letter to yourself" your high school teacher made you write? .... "Looking ahead to your future...where do you see yourself in ten years?" I wrote that "in 10 years I see myself driving a Volvo station wagon in the carpool lane." My English teacher said how impractical that was..... :) I can honestly say that I LOVE being a stay at home mom/wife and would rather live in a tent than have someone else take care of/raise/be with my kids....I am so fortunate that my husbands job has always afforded us the luxury of me staying home....or did it? Actually for the first few years...we had hardly any money....but we made a choice....and stuck with it. He has always said that he would rather work 3 jobs than for me to get a job. His mother always worked and left him and his 4 siblings at home to fend for themselves and he did not want that kind of childhood for his children. So when people ask me what I do all day....I just shrug my shoulders and tell them ...I made a pinata...or baked cookies all day...because they either get it or they don't. I'd rather spend my "shift" working on my family life than anything else. Because in the end...that's all that matters. :) Geez....this is kinda like therapy...not that I go ...cause I don't ...I'm just saying... :)
I like it!!! She says it well.
ReplyDeleteThat article is a hoot! Have you seen the email that's been going around about the newest Survival Series? The one where they drop men an an island with three kids each and they have to do all the things a mom does? Even my daughters were on the floor laughing at that one - they totally get it. (Although we have a wonderful husband and dad!)
ReplyDeleteCarolyn Hax rocks at all times.
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