I am a Part-Time Working Mom. I work Tuesdays and Thursdays teaching Preschool Music. I also work Sunday mornings as a Sunday School Coordinator. But are those the only hours I work? Do I spend my time watching soap operas and eating bon bons (as the stereotype suggests)?
ABSOLUTELY NOT!!!
I think any mom that has put their families best interests first will agree that we are also the following:
Cook: Whether we make wholesome, organic meals from scratch or pop a frozen pizza in the oven, we make sure our family is fed. We know what everyone's likes and dislikes are and try to make each meal match every specific request. Or if you have a child like mine, his likes and dislikes can change on a daily basis and the refusal of one meal that took hours to prepare, will leave you throwing your hands in the air and just giving him peanut butter and jelly instead. I refuse to be a short order cook!
Maid: So, I am fortunate to get a lot of help in this area. Craig does so much around the house, not just for me, but because he likes a well kept house too. My kids are old enough to start pitching in with some of the household chores and this has helped tremendously. However, our love for black furniture has us dusting constantly! Who decided on that color?!
Laundress: Maybe I didn't know how to do laundry when I got married. And just maybe I still didn't know how to do laundry until after my second child was born. Well, I know now! I do the laundry for the kids and I once a week and that's it. Craig does his own laundry. Does it always get folded and put away immediately? Well, that's a different story.
Secretary: Craig recently made a comment that he loved having two secretaries: one at work and one at home. Why did he say that? Because I reminded him that Administrative Professionals Day (Secretary's Day) was coming up and I put a reminder in MY phone. Why did I do that?! Maybe because I know if I put it in his phone, there is still a slight chance he won't remember to purchase something for his secretary. Moms also keep track of all appointments for every member of the family, every practice, every event at school, vacation details, when the in-laws are arriving, what groceries need to be purchased, where important documents are kept, etc, etc, etc.
Doctor: Fortunately, I have had 6 years of medical assisting under my belt. I know the signs and symptoms of familiar illnesses and ways to treat them. I also know the worst-case scenarios when I see that weird looking rash. Is it a heat rash or the beginnings of scarlet fever? Because of the job Craig has, he cannot call in to work. If my kids have to stay home from school, I do too. Who is likely to catch whatever contagious illness the child has? MOMS!!! Thankfully, all my years working in the doctors office and being around kids has really built up my immune system and I rarely get sick.
Dentist: We have one kid that loves wiggling his loose teeth and not afraid to pull them out by himself. Then we have one kid that screams as if she is being attacked when it just feels like a tooth is about to fall out. I don't know how many times I've had to calm her down, whether at home or in the actual dentist office. Moms are constantly on Tartar Patrol (looking at teeth and smelling breath) and as the kids get older, we become orthodontist assistants as well.
Gardner: Okay, so I don't do this. I get a plant and forget about it and it dies. Fortunately, I don't do that with kids. But I love beautiful flowers and gardens and pretty blooms on trees. Taking care of them is not my top priority. I am guilty of being a plant killer. Craig loves working on the yard and is very particular about his landscape. He can have at it!
Artist/Interior Decorator: Who decorates the house? MOMS!!! Who helps with projects for school where you have to make a farm diorama using only marshmallows and toothpicks? MOMS!!! 'Nuff said.
Chaffeur: Somedays I feel like I live in my car. I love my little 2013 Dodge Journey and feel like we've bonded. That car takes me everywhere I need to go and gets me there safely. Oh, and the kids like it too.
I can go on and on and on about what we do. I know there are lots of dads that also wear these many hats and kudos to you!!! I know there are lots of moms and/or dad that are single parents and do absolutely everything by themselves. Major kudos to you!
The point is, we can't be labeled by just a few words. Our worth isn't in how much we get paid (because we don't get paid for any of these things), how many kids we have, or how much we've accomplished in one day. If at the end of the day, we can look around and see that everyone survived and you get to do it all over again the next day, then you have done a job well done.
Now, pat yourself on the back and grab some chocolate out of your stash.
You deserve it!
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