What happened to me?!?
I went shopping at the mall for the first time since I had a child and the sales associate said something that horrified me.
He asked “What do you do for a living?”
Smiling I said “I’m a stay at home mom” I should have said I’m a domestic engineer because that is more accurate.
“Oh. you don’t work then. Your lucky. Sit around the house all day and do nothing. You have a life of leisure and relax all day.”
I was livid! It is baffling the crazy stereotype of the modern day homemaker. It is because of these myths that we get little respect in society. Today I hope to set the record straight and educate the public.
Here is a list of 10 myths about stay at home moms debunked!
1 – We stay home all day. The term “Stay-At-Home-Mom” indicates all we do is “stay at home,” and that is far from the truth.
2 – We are lazy! Choosing to be a mom who stays at home deserves respect and admiration.
3 – We must be bored all day! Being a stay-at-home mom is challenging in all the right ways, and we are not “bored” by being a mom.
4 – We just don’t want to work. Many stay-at-home moms do work through volunteer and paid positions; we just do it from our homes around the family schedule.
5 – We must feel unfulfilled. Being a stay-at-home mom does not leave us “unfulfilled or feeling cheated out of a real career” — I walked away from a “real career” by choice.
6 – We don’t have any dreams. All moms have dreams and aspirations, and each should be celebrated for her gifts and talents.
7 – We don’t approve of working moms. Stay-at-home moms do not harbor animosity toward moms who choose to, or must, work outside the home — we actually like to support them!
8 – We regret leaving our careers behind. I do not regret leaving my career. I am not “missing out” or hindering my own personal growth. … I have learned much about life by being a stay-at-home mom.
9 – Building a strong legacy is more important to me than building a strong career; Hubby and I have made certain lifestyle choices that allow us to manage on one income — we are blessed.
10 – We have nothing to offer the working mom. Leaving the voice of a stay-at-home mom out of media conversations is detrimental to all moms. If you would care to interview a stay-at-home mom about her view of life, you might find she has much to offer to the conversations you are having.
Instead, here is what we do daily…
We work many jobs throughout the day. We are nurses, chauffeurs, chefs, teachers, playmates, housekeepers, laundry attendants, accountants, referees and babysitters all rolled into one. The stereotype of a woman sitting at home watching soap operas while eating bon-bons is a distant reality for the stay-at-home mom.
In fact, many stay-at-home moms aren’t home much at all because we’re running kids all over town to school, soccer practice, dance lessons and doctor’s appointments, plus attending school meetings, grocery shopping and running other errands. “Home” is only part of our title in name only.
And when we are at home, we’re doing everything to keep our houses running smoothly, including managing the household’s budget (not me though), taking care of the house and planning the family meals (my LEAST favorite thing to do!). Most importantly, we’re taking care of the kids and their every need, especially when they’re younger.
Many people don’t view a stay-at-home mom’s work as work because we don’t receive a paycheck for the 24 hours a day, 7 days a week we’re on duty. We don’t get a pay raise or 401K plans. There are no vacation or sick days accumulated.
While some may argue that a stay-at-home mom doesn’t contribute to the family, they’re strictly thinking about a financial contribution in the form of a paycheck. But as a 2010 report from salary.com shows, a stay-at-home mom would earn $117,856 a year for all the jobs she performs if she were paid. Moms in Canada would earn $132,288. The salary estimates continue to rise with each year.
Today’s stay-at-home mom is not your Leave it to Beaver image of a woman who stays home vacuuming the carpets in her long dresses and pearls while waiting on her children to come home from school. While some stay-at-home moms maintain their title all the way until the kids graduate high school and leave the house, others go back to the workforce, start their own businesses or find new ways to stay at home while earning an income…I know I have.
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