I was recently cleaning out some of the obscure areas in our home. Areas like our hall closet, our bedroom closet, the pantry and the laundry room. I was cleaning the shelves above my washer and dryer when I saw a wide assortment of little things on the shelf. There were three cherries and a bucket from the Hi-Ho Cherrio game (what was I thinking in buying that game anyway? I bet we’ve lost all but four cherries by now!). There were three shoelaces…but don’t ask me which shoes belonged with them! I also found six safety pins and (drum roll please) all of the loose change that has been found in the washing machine! A grand total of, yep, you guessed it – $2.21! That is approximately $.09 a month for 24 months! Oh! Along with the U.S. money there was also one Brazilian coin that one of the kids had gotten from a missionary, but I didn’t figure that in my total! :o) All in all, I’d say that I’m overworked and underpaid, as are all stay-at-home-moms! I think I’ll be discussing a possible wage increase with my boss today when he gets home. ;0)
Really, I thought this was interesting. After two years of cooking, cleaning, serving, washing, refereeing, teaching, disciplining, decorating, shopping, “doctoring”, loving – I only have $2.21 to show for it…in one sense. If I were seriously looking at the financial benefits to being a stay-at-home-mom, and a home schooling mom, then I wouldn’t be doing it! The world has way more to offer me in tangible benefits than this line of work! But I realize that I am getting so much more than the world could ever offer me. No, there’s no paid vacation, or sick days, or even a small salary package. But I get the unconditional love and admiration of four sweet children! I got to hear my daughter, and now my son, begin to read!! I get to see their faces light up when some difficult subject finally “clicks.” I was there for their first smiles, their first steps, and I was there when they were hurt or sad. I’m there each morning to greet them with a hot breakfast, and I’m there in the afternoon to see them play at the park. I’m there every night to read to them, kiss them and tuck them in their beds. I’m there to spot character flaws and point them out, before they become habits! I’m not out conquering the business world. I don’t hold a degree of any kind, unless “Mrs.” counts! I know several women who are mothers, in that, they did bring forth children into the world, they have the title “mother”. But, some moms, sadly, leave their children with the nanny or babysitter -indefinitely- so they can go fulfil their own “dreams”. I’m not trying to bash working Moms, because you can work a job and be an excellent mother, no doubt about it. What I’m talking about is mothers who seem to be able to forget that they even have kids because they get so wrapped up in their own separate lives. It’s so sad. I believe “mother” is a noun and a verb! It’s work, and love, and more work! I feel that I hold an even higher position than any female CEO in the country – I’m a Mom! Not just in title, but in deed.