Two Sides to Every Story

So, I just read this really obnoxious blog about how this girl hates her stay-at-home mom friends' posts about how hard they work, etc.  The blog itself and the following comments stunned me.

"If it were an actual job, every mom would do it."
"So?  I work and then have to come home and do all the stuff that you do."
"It's a luxury because being a working parent is more work because there's work and household duties which is more difficult than just having to child-rear and maintain the household."
"Big deal.  I go to work and make decisions that affect hundreds of people every day.  I don't need a parade."
"Why do they (stay-at-home-moms) think they deserve some kind of award for raising children they decided to have?"

And the list goes on.

My first issue with that whole blog is this -- it's Facebook, who cares?  People are allowed to post whatever they want...you don't have to read it.

My BIG issue is -- why does it have to be a competition?  Why aren't we allowed to post about our particularly busy day?  Why are you allowed to vent about your job, but we aren't allowed to vent about ours?  Why is it okay to bash each other for the lifestyle choices we have made for ourselves?

A lot of times stay-at-home moms are undervalued in society.  People look at us and think/say, so you 'just' stay at home all day?  I want to slap those people.  
No, I don't need any reward or monetary compensation for staying home and "raising children I decided to have."  Which is a statement in itself that really burns me up.  I love my children dearly, and yes I wanted a family...but that doesn't mean every day is a song or that staying home with my kids is the easiest job in the world.

And yes, I understand that you have responsibilities at work and then come home to responsibilities there; but that doesn't mean stay-at-home moms have half the responsibility that you have ... it just means that we have different responsibilities.  I, for one, run a home-based business in addition to my stay-at-home mom role.  I am also a student.  I also volunteer at my church and help run some of the ministries there.  I am a photographer in my spare time.

I don't judge you for working instead of staying at home.  So don't judge my choice to stay home because you don't know what my daily responsibilities are.  Instead of tearing each other down because "I work harder than you" or "I do everything you do plus..." all women/mothers should be supporting each other.  Let's be grown-ups and realize that we all work hard and every job we do has value whether it's outside the home or in.

Sensitive

Worked at the hospital today taking newborn photographs.  Planned on hitting the pool at Mom's house with the kiddos when I finished, but today was an ozone alert day.  Meaning since I have asthma, I'm considered part of the 'sensitive' group advised to stay indoors.  So instead of pretending I didn't know about the alert and going anyway, I was a responsible (bleh, who knew I had it in me?) grown-up and we stayed home.  We had lunch with Miranda and a fun indoor playdate with Baby Loucie (my niece), Peyton, and Mikaela.  

After they left I began working on my cleaning list ... which I had conveniently misplaced for the last three weeks as I worked on the wedding and Vacation Bible School.  I started with dishes, since our dishwasher is still broken and I haven't had a chance to go look at new ones, AND our sink is starting to pile up.  Next, my plan is to clean out the pantry and make my grocery list.  After the kids go bed I'll clean the living room, or the 'playroom,' as Peyton calls it.  I secretly call it the disaster zone.  :/  Wish me luck.  Because my reward to myself for finishing those goals tonight, is pool-time tomorrow!!!

A Day of Nothing

The weekend of June 9th was an infamous weekend that will go down in the record books as possibly one of the worst weekends of all time.  I am trying to remain somewhat professional, so I won't go into further detail, but suffice it to say that some people are just toddlers walking around in adult's clothing.  That behavior at three isn't pretty sometimes, but there's time to teach.  It's really ugly at twenty-something, and sadly, probably too late to correct.

And there's no rest for weary (or is that the wicked?) because on June 11th we kicked off Vacation Bible School and that went from 5:30pm to 8pm from the 11th through the 15th.  I am lucky to have some wonderful ladies to work with in planning this particular event.  And we have a lot of great help during.  It was fun while it lasted, but I'm breathing a sigh of relief that it's over for this year.  

Of course yesterday was Father's Day, so we made our rounds doing all the Father's Day meals, including the one I cooked at my house.  

All of that being said - I had wonderful aspirations today to do a bunch of laundry, wash dishes (oh yes, because I need one more problem...our dishwasher is broken), and clean the bathrooms.  Guess what I've actually done?  

Played with Mikaela and Peyton.  I also took a nice long shower while they were kind enough to nap at the same time; and then I watched a sitcom and ate a couple of Hershey's toffee almond nuggets.  Just call me the quintessential soap opera-watching bon bon-eating housewife today.  But I think I earned it.