Working Moms

I go to an office every day and I guess that makes me a "working mom".  On the flip side, if you don't work in an office, you are categorized as a "stay-at-home" mom.  Aren't we all "working moms"?

Being a mom is hard work - whether you work outside the home or inside the home.  You are constantly giving of yourself to someone else.  I have little children and there are a lot of things that go with that territory - help eating meals, getting dressed, bathing, changing diapers, entertaining, and on and on... Older children and teenagers require a whole other set of skills - most of which I'm sure involve a great deal of patience. 

I have friends who "stay-at-home" and I know how hard they work.  How busy their days are.  How hard it is to get anything done when you have a little one (or more) wanting your attention all day.  I know that these moms never get a sick day.  They never get to be in their house by themselves.  They never get to run errands by themselves.  However, they get to do things like volunteer at their child's school. They can be home when their children get home from school and they can do their homework with them before 8:00 p.m. at night.  They can run errands and do laundry and make dinner all before 5:00 p.m. There is no question that they are working moms.

I have always thought it would be hard to be a "stay-at-home" mom.  Taking care of children is exhausting, emotionally and physically.  So after my maternity leave with Grace and Abigail, I returned to work - full-time.  At first, I returned to work because we needed the money.  Not to say we don't need the money now, but we could make ends meet if I stayed home.  I think of all the women who don't have the option and who have to go to work every day.  I am fortunate that I enjoy my job and I know that my children are in excellent care.  I do get sick days where I can stay home by myself and rest.  I do get to run errands by myself during my lunch hour.  I get to eat lunch out with my co-workers. 

But there are those days when I have a meeting I can't change and so I miss a school event for Grace.  And those days when Grace wants to be a "car-rider" and leave when school is over but instead she has to go to extended day.  I pick the kids up and get home around 5:30 and Bruno gets home about 6:30.  We have a busy hour having dinner, giving the kids baths, helping Grace with her homework (yes, she's in kindergarten and has homework every night - grrrrr..), and putting them to bed.  Then there is laundry to do, clean up the kitchen, clean up the toys and maybe catch a tv show.

I know there are women who think I am crazy to leave my children in the care of other people.  I know there are women who think my friends are crazy to stay at home all day.  And the sad part is that many times it's women who make these judgements on each other. 

We are all in the same boat - just different boats.  There are women on yachts, women on motor boats, women on row boats and women in rafts. 

Being a mom can be a challenging, thankless job.  But it is so wonderful to reap the benefits of all the love we give on a daily basis to our children.

We are all working moms.  And we wouldn't trade this job for anything in the world.