Being a stay-at-home mother just doesn’t get the appreciation that it used to. Seems like with the women’s movement during the 20’s thru 50’s, many women now almost get looked down upon for staying home in a domesticated role. Not everyone sees it this way of course.
Being a good mom was all I’ve ever wanted to be. Some of my fondest childhood memories consist of pushing my doll in a stroller. Or waiting impatiently to get my first Cabbage Patch doll equipped with her very own birth certificate! I also have memories of taking a 2 liter pop bottle and transforming it into my “child”, until it became too heavy and awkward to lug around. 😏
I choose to stay home for the simplest of reasons. To be there for my children. To mold them and shape them into what I believe they can become. Good mothers and wives themselves one day who will love God.
My days look somewhat like this…
I wake to a tapping on my leg, mommy, mommy she did this, or she did that, while the other runs in my bedroom yelling, I didn’t mean to. These days make it hard to get out of bed. But nonetheless, life must be dealt with and duties won’t do themselves. We have breakfast. We pray. We start our school day. During their lunch/recess time I either do laundry, vacuum, or prepare part of dinner. Most days I do all three. Once they come in from outside, we go back to school. Once school is over it’s time to put the meal on, fold another load of laundry, and dishes after dinner. Some evenings we go right into church evening service, or Doves(a girls scouts program at church) or Bible Quiz practice at the church. I get to crochet in the evenings and put the girls to bed. Then we do it all over again.
It seems as though I may be complaining but I’m not. Except for laundry…I’m pretty sure I was put on this earth to wash, dry, fold, hang up, and put away.
Stay-at-home mothers make many sacrifices. The household income is less for one. Which then makes the purchase decisions difficult at times. I have to remind myself quite often, when seeing a working mom pull up in her new SUV, that I have made a decision to better the future for my children. This thought wasn’t always there for me as I would try my hardest to keep up with the other competing moms. But this school year something inside me is changing. A resolve in my spirit. Here’s an example of my mental dialogue that maybe you, a struggling stay-at-home mom, need to adopt: Look at that nice car so and so just got! Oh well. Being home teaching my child how to care for herself is more important. I want to be the one to teach her the things a budding young girl needs to know. I don’t want her “friend” showing her how to shave or telling her about sex and how it’s not that bad once you do it the first time.
I know what you’re going to say next. We can’t keep our kids away from every influence out there. And you’re right. But I can be the one she gets her first information from and I plan to give her the truth. I can beat those other influences to the punch. I can teach her, guide her by gaining her trust.
Why do I choose to be a stay-at-home mom? Because my children need me. I enjoy seeing their progress in school and with life skills.
There’s so much more to this life than brand name foods and clothes. There’s so much more than fancy new cars, remodeling your home every two years, and picture perfect family photo Christmas cards. For those women who can juggle all of that, my hat is off to you. But for me…my goal is preparing my children to make it to heaven. This goal is a daily uphill battle that this mom struggles with each day.
One more thing for you moms getting through the day feeling like you may not have done it the best it could’ve been done….I know how you feel. You feel like there’s no escaping your job. Most people punch a time card and then walk away from their jobs. They leave their machines or their desks behind in a building somewhere. But for us, our jobs surround us daily. Even when the kids are in bed and the house is quiet, there’s still that sink of dishes beckoning you. There’s still that rug that needs swept.
I was recently, and inevitably will be again, feeling this very same thing. So my husband and I went to a hotel for two nights. I didn’t do much of anything but veg out and just relax. A night away is not enough when you get to this point. Because the first night you’re still unwinding. 2 or 3 nights and you’re a new person!
The kids deserve the best you that you can be.
Stay tuned for what changed my mind to become a homeschool mom and how a school day looks like from my perspective.
