Stay at home mums, I’m one of them. Around the clock work,
early starts and no lunch breaks.
I can admit that being a mum is more tiring than when I worked full time as a hairdresser on my feet all day! At least when I worked fulltime I
knew what time I started, I knew what time I finished, I had set lunch breaks,
I knew that everything had a structure and a routine.
Unfortunately sometimes I feel guilty and society makes me
feel guilty for not going back to work yet, as if I’m not hard working and not
putting enough effort into my life. This makes me extremely mad that not only
is that completely untrue but I think neither should be guilted.
I think personally it’s great that mums are going back to
work, I absolutely commend that because it’s a scary daunting experience
heading back to work after having a said amount of time on maternity leave. It’s
hard leaving your babies and kids to go back into an adult environment.
In saying that why isn’t it also awesome that others have
the opportunity to not go back to work as yet and get to stay home with their
babies and kids? I mean I think I work hard? My day starts at 6/6:30am, I have
to sit down and watch cars the movie on repeat (that’s torture in itself!!!).
Make breakfast that gets picked at for about an hour only to have to make more
food that again will probably get picked at and end up on the floor. Having a
shower that now gets shared by a 2 year old who insists on telling you the
waters too hot so therefore a cold shower usually happens. Chasing my toddler
around the house to get dressed and ending up in the fifth disagreement for the
day thus far. I take Xavier to school (not day-care) 2/3 days a week in which I
have to sit there and watch him paint, play and make mess while I’m nearly
falling asleep and its only 11am. Lunchtime comes and so does more mess, I’ve vacuumed
the floor by this time at least 3 times already, having to put Xavier on the
toilet at least 2 times every hour and be told every day that ‘he’s done a
number two’ and acting like it’s the holy grail that I know have to clean someone’s
bottom. Have to fight off sleep by 3 and make sure Xavier doesn’t also fall
asleep while I’m cleaning the house and hanging washing on the clothes line or
bedtime gets strung on to 8 or 9pm. Its 5pm, cars the movie is being played for
the 100th time for the day and dinner is again picked at, just as
most of the food during the day has been. Bath time comes and I get to sit down
for 5 minutes while getting splashed by water. Bedtime arrives and I’m having a
party because I can finally cook dinner in peace and without cars the movie in
background.
My day is full on and the only time I really sit down without
getting up every 5 minutes is if I’m watching kids’ cartoons on the couch and sharing
carrot sticks. As I said previously working mums are doing a great job by going
back to work and in no way am I saying otherwise but we need to stop this
stigma that stay at home mums don’t work as hard because that its utter
bullsh!t and yes I used the b word that’s how mad it makes me!
I’m VERY lucky that I get to spend every day with my little
moppyhead gremlin and I certainly don’t take that for granted.