Okay, so today is my fourth Monday as a “stay at home mom.” I love summers because they give me the
chance to breathe, enjoy some free time, enjoy the company of my children (who
are growing up way too fast!) and accomplish things I simply cannot do during the hectic real life as a mom with a
40ish hour per week job outside the home.
I’m extraordinarily lucky in that I am a stay at home mom for nine weeks
every year. In a sincere effort not to
sound judgmental or criticize those wonderful women who have chosen to or have
been fortunate enough to choose this path of stay at home mom, I would just like
to say: I appreciate the love and support you give to your family and children;
however, please refrain from ever, ever - seriously suggesting that the life of
a stay at home mom is more difficult than that of a mom who works outside of
the home. A woman who works 40, 50
possibly 60 hours away from home still must come home to cook dinner, wash
laundry, assist with homework, iron clothes and prep for the next day’s school
day, including wardrobe, and ensuring everyone in the family remains on task. I guess I could also mention being the taxi driver responsible for getting the kids to and from school (on time) as well as any other activities they choose to belong to (in my case it was Karate 3 x
per week for a minimum of 2 hours per night for six years and now the skatepark). I am a “working mother” who spent seven
years as the PTSO president of her children’s school. Interestingly enough, I didn’t come across
many “stay at home” moms willing to sacrifice their time to volunteer when
asked (except for a few beautiful souls).
I also spent most lunch hours being on campus with my kids to volunteer for everything ranging from selling snacks, reading books, helping to plant gardens, supervising after
school clubs and attending after school games while my daughter
played softball and volleyball. 
Having the option of spending 9 weeks away from my jobs each year
has given me a pretty good insight as to
how a stay at home mom spends her days.
I will tell you it looks absolutely nothing like my “real life” or the life of many women who spend their days at the
office, bank, school or hospital! The audacity of comparing a stay at home
mother to that of a mother who works outside of the home is absolutely
hilarious and actually borders on ridiculousness. It’s as though someone neglected to realize
that everything a stay at home mother does; a mother who works away from the
house must also do, but with 50 hours less per week to complete! I
recently read a quote that a stay at home mom is worth about $113,000.00 per
year while a working mom is worth somewhere in the neighborhood of 69,000, I call
Shenanigans! Whoever came up with
that absurd number is invited to promptly kiss my hard working ass.
Let’s just say, If this were a workday – no way in hell I’d have
time to write this blog J
