A Day In The Life
You know, I really don't doubt that I have a very legitamate job. It is very important and cannot be replaced by anyone. I am a mother. I am proud to stay at home. I am proud to cook & clean & care for my family. It is the most important job in the world.
My day never goes in shifts, it is constant.
Every day I get up at 6 a.m I wake up my children, help Isaac do his homework, look over his spelling words, read the scriptures with them all and get them ready for the day.
I cook breakfast
Make lunches
Tidy Up the Kitchen
Drive Isaac & the neighbor to school,.
When I get home, I put in a load of laundry
I tidy up the house
I make a list of everything I need to get done that day, errands, church assignments, etc...
I take my younger two children somewhere. Either to the park, museum, playgroup, or the library story time, strawberry picking, blueberry picking, to see a special author at barnes & noble, or to play with other friends. This list could go on and on.
I feed them lunch
I clean up
I read them stories & they rest for a small while,
while they rest I wipe down the bathrooms, dust a couple of rooms while I chat on the phone with someone like my sister...
Complete our pre-school time (learning shapes, colors, puzzles, teach songs, reveiwing letters & basic sight words)
I pack them up and pick up Isaac from school
I come home, make a snack
clean up the snack
Review Isaacs conduct grade & complete 5 pages in his workbook
Get them ready for bed
Make dinner
Read to them
say prayers
Tuck them into bed
Fold one or two more batches of laundry
Do the dishes
Sweep the floor
Mop the floor
Prepare the next days clothes, shoes, backpacks, etc...
Usually re- tuck SOMEONE back into bed
Usually re- feed someone a snack
Then I tidy up the house one more time.
Get ready for bed myself
Check email/ pintrest. blog, facebook
Start a list of what I need to get done the next day like making doctor appointments, teacher appointments, assignments from PTO or Soccer Schedules, prepare for my primary calling or "nest" in my house to make it look & smell clean.
Read/Craft/Sew something... etc... for a bit & go to bed
Repeat every day for the next 18 years...
Who ever said being a stay at home mother is not work, is crazy with a CAPITAL K. I definitely Do feel LUCKY, but I think it is undermining when people say " you are SOO LUCKY THAT YOU DON"T HAVE TO WORK." It really just BURNS ME UP!
First of all, if you are working full time, just who does all these things? Who? I will tell you who- either you have a maid- or you simply do not do these things. It is nearly impossible. How do I know. Lets just say I know people, I've been to their houses, and they outwardly admit, it is impossible, They cannot do it all. Mothers cannot do it all. Something has to fall through the cracks.
My thoughts on Daycare? A lot of people have no choice, and I understand this. But make no mistake- no one loves your children like you do. NO ONE. Not even your own mother. Trust me on this one.
This little epilouge does not even begin to describe the emotional atmosphere a mother is responsible for-such as to breaking up fights, teaching morals, Giving them spiritual experiences, and helping your little darlings to become self sufficient, responsible human beings. And all the while you must be patient, kind, thoughtful, & sufficiently responsible for the safety & emotional well- being of each child.
Mothers are the MOST IMPORTANT people in the world. And, I am certainly grateful that my mother stayed home and raised me- because she is a highly intelligent lady who could have done anything in the world that she wanted to- and later in life she did, but when I was young, she put all that aside to raise her children and we all turned out to be contributing members to society- and the church for that matter. Because of her, I had an ideal childhood. And I would like to give my children the same advantage.
4 comments:
Mary Jane...this is awesome! It is what every person in America should know and understand about the role of mothers. The few years I did not work outside of the home were the hardest I ever worked in my life. There are no breaks, you are a mom 24/7. This is just so well written. I hope you don't mind if I share it. When I grow up I want to be just like you! Love ya!
I am inspired to be a better mother!
It is so much work and that is an understatement! So glad I'm the one doing it though!
Amen sista'! haha I love this post. Did this happen to be sparked by a certain political comment?
Any mom who stays home or works from home is sacrificing her own ambitions, freedoms, outside recognition and a more luxurious lifestyle to give her children a stronger foundation, emotional security, love, educational support, usually better nutrition and instill in them values which have become nearly extinct in today’s society.
Day cares are sad places where children are herded like cattle and given minimum attention. Behind the sceens, they are often left in highchairs for hours in front of a TV while the workers try to reduce their work load and are annoyed and even disguested with the children. Ask me how I know. Daily pre-schools are rarely much better.Again, ask me how I know.
Any mom who works will admit that it is much easier to work than to stay at home. A mom who is at work can not give the same attention, love, parenting, guidance, teaching moments, can not know their children as intimately and will have fewer opportunities to create positive memories and fine tune each of the above to give children the best chance for success in life.
Developmentally, children develop their perception of life in the first six years. If they are raised by a day care, what is to become of our society? There is evidence everywhere. Nect time you are at the grocery store, take note of the young workers. They are often standing around talking or texting. I sometimes wait for the checker while they text between customers and instead of greeting me and getting me through the line quickly, they talk with the bagger about the party they went to, etc.
There are definitely situations where moms are required to work, but where given the choice, a mother who chooses to put aside her self in exchange for a better life for her children deserves respect and admiration.
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