Reality Check

I have never, for the most part, thought that being a Stay At Home Mom (SAHM) was an easy job. But now that I am one, I have discovered some misnomers I had about it.



I used to say, "I could never be a stay at home Mom... I'd go crazy with boredom! I'm the kind of person who always has to be doing something."  For any SAHM I had previously said that to, thank you for not slapping me right then and there! Thank you for putting up with my ignorant comments. I have learned there IS no time for boredom and I can rarely seem to FIND a minute to stop and do anything restful if I stumbled over it.


I am surprised by how quickly my day flies- and in segments. Segment 1.: Wake up entirely sooner than you ever wished for because the kids are up asking for milk and needing to be changed. Segment 2:  Holy crap! It's 10 already!! (This said after finally being able to change out of pj's and have a quick breakfast.) Segment 3:  I blink, and it's 12.30pm Segment 4:  My series of "Get my toddler to nap" battles begin. Segment 5:  Holy crap! It's 4? Gotta make dinner. Then it's 7pm. And then the kids bedtime routine.  If I thought I "wouldn't be doing anything," then I was sorely mistaken.

Going to a job "in the workforce" - there's all sorts of things I took for granted: silence in the car or enjoying a morning talk show on the commute to work. Enjoying a cup of coffee to drink at my leisure in the car or at my desk. The ability to stand up and take a break. The ability to leave the property, by myself, daily, to enjoy a lunch break. The commute back home at the end of the day to make calls and vent and unwind a tad before my second shift (mom & wife duties).

These seem like luxuries now.

I'm not complaining about staying at home. But I was under the impression my days would feel like on relaxed Saturday after another.

 
Reality check: even my weekends now feel like an extension of my weekly schedule. Because a Stay at Home Mom, doesn't get to clock out at 5 o clock and "leave the work in the office" until the next morning. Nope. Our work isn't finished until we crawl in to bed and it starts as soon as our feet hit the floor.



 

Comments

  1. UnknownNovember 1, 2013 at 11:35 AM

    Amen! Although I never understand how working moms do it. Especially the ones that do mostly all of the housework and all the cooking. How do you work all day and then come home and do it all and still make time for your child?
    I know my perspective on being a sahm will change in 6 weeks when #2 arrives. It is hard but not out of control with one child. I am blessed that she takes 2 hour naps. I used to use that time wisely. Now I am too pregnant and tired to clean anything.

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