staying home mum

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 100^th 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.