I remember thinking to myself, why do women that stay at home with their kids act like they're really doing something? I was so jealous of them. I wished I could stay at home and watch t.v. all day, talk on my phone and go shopping all the time. I was envious of their laid back, relaxed life.
I became a stay at home mother this past May. Me and my husband just decided that the money spent on childcare wasn't worth it. Plus our daycare lady was quite incoherent a few times that we picked our daughter up and it sparked concern. Better safe then sorry. The saying is go with your first mind, and that was to pull her out of there. So I quit my job to stay home with her (and my boys when summer break came around).
I must say this is the HARDEST job I've actually ever had. I'm moving and running around nonstop. I have two boys that are 7 and 9. They fight like they're strangers to one another. I'm yelling, screaming, running down stairs and breaking up fights (thank God school is starting next week)all day!
I have a one year old daughter that runs through the house and disrupts EVERYTHING. She literally goes and pulls EVERY dvd off of my t.v. stand, JUST to throw them on the floor and then takes off. I wash the dishes, and she's trying to climb inside the dishwasher when I place them in there to dry. I'm chasing, tapping her hand and saying NO all day and night.
A stay at home mom is the definition of a very hard worker. It is the definition of patience and dedication. You have to possess unconditional love to deal with hard-headed kids day in and day out. I'm a stay at home mom that doesn't get too many breaks away from the chaos of my home because my support system consists of one person.
I wake up tired and get ready for bed even more tired. I no longer envy a stay at home mom, I feel bad for them if their day is anything like mines. Some days I think to myself that I am ready to go back into the workforce, but then I think about the precious time and love I am able to give my children full time. I question whether or not to just sit it out until I just can't take it anymore.
Ladies and gentlemen, being a stay at home mom or dad does not mean that the other is not working, if anything their day has been much more fuller than yours. It's close to being a single mother truth be told. I don't think my husband realizes how much effort and energy goes into my day.
The laughter, joy, and engagement from my kids keeps me at home with them. Money isn't everything, but everyone needs some type of getaway to relax their mind and spirit, I can't wait until my time comes.