•Our husbands' don't make loads of money, therefore allowing us to stay at home. We cut back a lot in order for this to happen. I could go off on a tangent describing all the areas we cut back in, but I'll save that for another post.
•We do not sit around eating bon bon's all day. If I have a snack of any sort, I would have 2 beggars right at my feet asking for a bite. It's not worth the trouble.
•We don't sit around watching soap operas all day. If I even show an interest in turning the TV on and changing the channel to a non-animated show, there would be lots of cries of "I want to watch my show!" Again, it's not worth the trouble. If I happen upon some freetime during naptime, I might watch a show on my computer, but that's the extent of it. (And it wouldn't be a soap opera. I'm just sayin'...)
•We get asked to volunteer for a lot of different things because everyone assumes we have lots of available time on our hands. If we turn down your request, please know it's truly because we don't have the time for it. We're probably already up to our ears volunteering in other areas and really don't have the time to add anything else.
•We really don't have lots of free time during the day. Lots of time is spent doing the following: preparing meals, serving meals, cleaning up after meals, getting out toys, playing with toys, putting up toys, getting out a game, playing the game, putting up the game, discipline, time-outs, reminders of why we don't jump on the furniture, tending to bumps and scrapes from when the kids don't remember why we don't jump on the furniture, refereeing fights (yes, I'm already there and Cooper is 14 months old), reading books (sometimes many, many times on the same book), chasing toddlers, keeping toddlers out of rooms they shouldn't be in, keeping toddlers off of things they shouldn't climb on, keeping toddlers away from toys and things too small for them to play with safely, arguing with preschoolers, explaining rules and manners and basic etiquette to preschoolers, doing crafts and cleaning up after crafts with preschoolers, answering one million and one questions throughout the day. Notice I didn't even touch on housework (aside from cleaning up after meals and toys). No laundry has been done yet, no bathrooms have been cleaned, no vacuuming, dusting, mopping. Not to mention the volunteering most participate in. The errands to run. The playdates scheduled. The groceries to be bought. Our days really are full. Even if it may not seem like that's possible to some.
•Our homes are not always clean. Very, very far from it. Sometimes we contemplate hiring a housekeeper. Until we remember the fact that we don't, in fact, have any money to pay them.
•We do not have home-cooked meals every night. There are many cereal nights. Sandwich nights. Breakfast for supper nights. Fend for yourself nights.
•We don't love our children more than anyone else loves their children. We don't think we're better than working moms. We get just as stressed out with our kids as everyone else does. Maybe moreso since we rarely get a break.
•We don't constantly go and do things. I personally limit the trips we take to places like the park, zoo, museums, etc. I want them to be special experiences, not routine and expected.
Bottom line, we want people to know that we're just like everyone else who works a "real job". We don't always get a lot accomplished. Our days can be tough and hair-pulling. We sometimes question whether or not this is what we should be doing. But we continue to stay at home with our kids. Not because we don't have other options in the work place. Not because we don't want our kids around other kids. Not because we're "old-school" and think that a woman's place is at home.
But because it works best for our families.
