I could end the blog here and you could probably fill in the blanks as to how I handled this question, but seeing as how I “don’t work”, I have the time to let you know exactly how it went down.
I was grocery shopping in the middle of the week, in the middle of the day with both girls in tow. One screaming that she wanted to walk and not be in the cart, the other “helping” me shop by loading the cart with all the “healthy” food she could find.
It wasn’t really a moment where I felt like chit chatting with strangers and it wasn’t a good moment to be asked questions by the Wal-Mart credit card person who was trying to get me to fill out the application as she followed me down each aisle.
At first I politely ignored her, but she was a persistent little bugger and decided that she would be” helpful” by asking questions as I shopped and she would fill out the application for me.
“What is your name?”
“Mommy”
“Oh, no your legal name.”
“Mommy.”
“Okay, what is your date of birth?”
“I can’t remember it was so long ago.”
“Hmmm….okay well, do you work? What is your occupation?”
And that is when I could no longer play nice…….it got ugly…..and fast.
“Yes as a matter of fact I do, and you are interrupting me as I do it! My occupation is Mommy, as I stated in my name. Imagine that, my name and my occupation are the same damn word! I work from 6:30 am until 10:00 pm every single day including holidays. Holidays require a double shift, and if someone is sick I’m pulling an all nighter!
“I do dishes, laundry, clean bathrooms and toilets, make meals, vacuum, kiss the boo boos away, scare the monsters back to where they came from, and wake up the next day to do it all over again. My income is less than you make here, but what I lack in income I am rewarded in love and hugs from these two right in front of you.
“A little word of advice my dear would be that you rephrase your question to Do you work OUTSIDE the home? You just may get a better response, and when someone ignores you that means they aren’t interested in your credit card!”
“Right…..sorry about that…..”
I am not going to start a war over who is more overworked – a working outside the home mom or a stay at home mom - I believe we are equal in our endeavours. I’m sure both kinds of moms are a little envious of the other. One would like to be home more and the other would like to get out more. But my days get just as busy as the next mom’s and sometimes they all mesh together.
The credit card lady caught me on a really stressful, busy day. I’m sure I could have handled her differently, but I did not. Yes, she was just doing her job, but so was I. My job requires me to be an annoyance to my family; her job requires her to be an annoyance to the public. Either way we were both annoying to each other.
Catharine Freeman Jack, Guest Blogger ~ I stay home with my girls and for the most part enjoy it, sometimes though, I understand why some mammels eat their young! You can read Catharine’s Blog at The Jack Files
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You’re right, the grass is always greener…As a teacher I work 10 months of the yr and have the summers off. Before child, I would find a contract job during the summer to occupy my time. Now, with an 18 month old daughter I stay at home, but I definitely have more to do! Not that I would change any of it! Working moms and stay at home moms each have their challenges. I’m blessed to see both sides.
So true, both sides have their ups and downs and rewards!