Oh another blog post about the world's perception on "stay at home moms"... and I use that title loosely for myself since I technically work from home in a lot of ways. I just can't wrap my mind about the fact that people honestly think we sit around on the couch all day popping Ferrero Rochers while drinking chilled Pellegrino in a martini glass. I mean really? It's like we are a completely insignificant species in society, we contribute nothing to the household besides wiping booty.
I'm going to just lay it out here for you folks, actually for the aformentioned folks. You need to shut your mouth when you don't know what you're talking about. So let me save you from looking like a complete asshat while I explain my personal circumstance in stay at home mommy land...
I am a freelance writer which started as a venture in mommy blogging, because of my ramblings about puke poop and colic I earned myself the opportunity to write for some big people. I make money doing that, money for our household to buy things like beer so that I stay sane and hubbs stays happy. Because I have been published in some awesome places I also enjoy the opportunity to test out and review lots of products from dog food to baby swings. And for this I get compensated in some way with anything from free diapers to Walmart gift cards, while nominal these things nicely save us on grocery bills and add up after a while so I continue to take the time to do it.
Moving on to one of my 'real' jobs... I went to school for quite some time to become a nurse and currently in the fall and winter I am a traveling nurse with a government immunization company. It's no ER or all that exciting by any means but it's a paycheck when we need it and it works with my ever busier schedule these days. One day life will slow down and I'll get back into the scrubs full time... for now this is extent of it.
Then we move on to my other job as an entrepreneur and business owner. I retail maternity and child clothing and goodies and hand sew crib bedding and baby essentials. Since 2007 I have been growing this company all by myself and it is now keeping me busy enough to be a full time job in itself. 40 hours a week would be an understatement, I'm up until midnight most nights and pretty much live at the post office. I honestly have been looking into hiring help for a few months now because it's killing me but I love it and won't stop.
More freelance works puts me in tradeshows, golf tournaments, calendar shoots, events and the like as a model and brand ambassador for companies like T-Mobile and others... it's usually good hours that work with my hubbs schedule so he can watch the kids and it pays a lot better than nursing, go figure. When I get the opportunity to do these events I jump on it!
Oh yea and then there's the fact that I "stay home" with a 2 year old and a 4 month old. If this was my only job for the day I'd be more than exhausted. It's full time sun up to sun down of making bottles, cooking meals, cleaning messes, soothing owies, fighting for nap times, zoning out tantrums, changing butts, giving baths, picking up toys, reading books, preschool teaching... it goes on and on and on. There are no breaks, there's no 'time off'. When you're sick and puking your guts out the job goes on. God forbid you catch the flu, I highly recommend becoming a hermit because being sick with babies to deal with is utter torture. Oh and did I mention the hours of this job are 24/7?? The wee one still eats every 1 1/2- 2 hours at night and the toddler is bright eyed and bushy tailed by 8 am if you're lucky. While doing all of this I also manage to keep my house relatively clean, stay on top of the dishes, sweep my floors 3 times a day, and put home cooked meals on the table.
I may spend my entire day in pajamas, my house may not always be spotless, my laundry may not get folded and put away very often, and my car may be covered in crackers and an occasional dirty diaper but I think I do a pretty darn good job of managing my life. And I contribute a whole hell of a lot to our household and family not only financially but clearly in several other ways. I'm not writing this to get a medal or to hear people say "oh my gosh how do you do it", truth is those people are few and far between. What I expect is the common courtesy and respect for people to reserve their judgement and sarcasm until they've walked a mile in my barefeet shoes. Because until then you have no idea what my life is like, you have NO clue how very hard it is to do what I do, what we all do, despite the fact that you think we plop down on the couch with soaps all day. I'd like anyone to come in and take over my life for 3 days and then see what they have to say.
Now if you'll excuse me I have 2 humans to raise, dinner to cook, and orders to fill....
