SAHM

I think stay-at-home moms are pitied. Women and men alike wonder how it is possible that a woman whose job it is to keep house and raise children can have no other ambition. How can we not want to be outside the home "having a career and a life". How can we have no desire to earn an income so that more "stuff" can be bought. In many cases, single income families have to scrimp and budget (do without more stuff) to be able to live on that single income. I find myself being defensive whenever the subject of my employment is brought up. I go on about the "sacrifice" I make to raise responsible, respectful children. But most times I also find it difficult to explain what makes it so worthwhile to me.

So I was thinking about this and here is what I came up with. I always allude to this big sacrifice. As if I have ambition and I am giving it all up to raise my kids. Truth is, there is no sacrifice. I love my children, yes. But it is so much more than that. Do you love your job? Do the people you work with show up every day happy to be there? Excited to start a new day? In my opinion, children are happy and grown-ups are not. You think to yourself, of course children are happy...they don't have to work, pay bills, watch what they eat, etc. True. But when was the last time you got pure joy watching a fluffy bunny hop across your front yard? When you walk past your flowers in the spring are they just SO beautiful to you that you have to pick just one? When is the last time you made a free throw and danced around your driveway like you just won the championship game?

These are the things that lead to my job satisfaction. I would be truly miserable to know that I missed out on my chance to be their witness . My kids don't want to go to sleep at night. They are ready to get up in the morning. They play games! They love to pretend. Have you ever watched a bunch of little girls "playing house". There are no rules. All the kids are making it up as they go and it just works! Kids also know they don't know it all. They enjoy finding out they don't know something and learning about it. Ever watch a little boy walk through a field or down a creek bed? It is a wonderland of things to discover! As adults, we can not easily admit we are wrong or unknowledgeable...especially at our jobs! The most exciting thing is seeing old things through young eyes. My kids don't take things for granted and they appreciate the little things. But even more exciting is they appreciate the big things adults seem to ignore. For example, the seasons. Do you excitedly wait for that first snowflake so you can run out and make angels? My kids love the rain and carrying umbrellas. It makes Jill feel "fancy"! LOL. How about you? Are you excited to feel fancy carrying an umbrella or are you just thinking about how it will make you late for work? They get joy in the sunny days that they can spend outside at the park or in the pool.

Fortunately, I realize that my days are numbered so I am holding on tightly to my ambition which is to be a SAHM (stay-at-home mom.) I get to witness my kids' amazement as they discover this world. The day they become adults and are too embarrassed or too busy to drop and make a snow angel after that first dusting of snow comes way too quickly. I'm HAPPY to be at my job today. How about you?