Someone said this to me today, an old friend (former coworker) who was visiting. So you're just a stay-at-home mom. It wasn't a question, but a statement. I said we stay as busy as we want to and have a very active social life between the MOMS Club and preschool. It sounded lame as the words came out of my mouth and I didn't care, didn't bother to explain it is the best job in the world and everyone should be so lucky. She is someone who has always worked and always had to work, as far as I understand. I thought, maybe she is saying it with some envy, wondering what her life would have been like, what she would be like now, if she had been able to stay home with her child. Or maybe she was saying it with pity, with distaste, wondering how I can be wasting my life and my master's degree. I didn't press the subject.
I consider the joy of being a full-time mom to be a well-kept secret. I don't really want the world to know how amazing it is. Kind of like my life, I would like my job to stay under the radar. It is one of those things you can't understand until you experience it. And there are plenty of moms who do NOT enjoy staying home with their kids and don't understand how anyone could like it. There are days when I have wanted to go back to work just to get a break, but most days I am fully aware how good I have it. I really can't relate to someone who doesn't enjoy the job that gives me the greatest satisfaction I have ever had. It is a debate in which I don't want to engage.
Just a stay-at-home mom. I've been trying to come up with a parallel. Like saying oh, you're just the CEO of Microsoft. You're just the president of the United States. Okay, okay. I realize that isn't quite the same thing. But nonetheless I feel I have one of the most important jobs in the world. In some ways I am sorry that moms like me don't get the respect we deserve. But as I said, I consider it to be a well-kept secret. Let "them" think it's a mindless, thankless job. I know the truth, and that is all that matters.
No comments:
Post a Comment