A stay-at-home Mom, are also called the not-working-mom ?

This was just a shoutout or post from a dear friend of mine, Kelly, that I read this morning, and I quoted,

"Over the past few months I have heard SO many people say: It must be nice to sit at home and not have to go to work. To this I say WOW! Just because stay at home moms don't "go" to work doesn't mean they don't work. Truth is that we do more before 10am than some people do all day! There are children to prepare for school, good hot breakfasts to be made. Book bags to be packed.. kitchens to clean, rooms to tidy, laundry to do, clothes to mend, homework to help with, school projects to complete, meals to prepare, bedding to change, parties to arrange, pets to feed, groom and care for, lost items to find, budgets to make (and adhere to), grocery shopping, bills to pay, errands to run, cuts and bruises to mend, not to mention.. you are the counselor, the doctor, the judge and the peacemaker, the wife, the lover, and the friend. You put out more fires than a little and people always call you because they think "you're just Sitting at home doing nothing"! I salute all of you stay at home moms (Myself included) for doing the thankless job that is highly underestimate and seldom respected!"

This spikes a little fire in me to write what I have been feeling about this thing. I agree with my friend :) I am a stay-at-home mom myself, and I ALWAYS received the same saying from many people around me, such us "Oh you're lucky you don't have to go to work and just stay home". Oh yeah? I am lucky alright, I do consider I am lucky as I get to watch my children grow right in front of my eyes, I get to be involved as much as I could in their activities as they want me to, and lots of other things which is just too many to list down. But one big word here is the word "WORK". B

eing at home doesn't mean there's no work to do. In fact, I could define the 'house WORK' I have to do is 'endless'. The work that we, the stay-at-home mothers do, were never the 9-5 job, its the 24-7 jobs indeed. I find myself having a hard time to sit down and watch any programs on TV as the errands are always there to run. Mornings have always been the busiest time of the day (with breakfast preparation, laundry to do, kids going to school, etc.), my afternoons have always been the time to prepare lunch, picking up the children from school, make sure their lunch are ready when they get home, etc. Even for this 'job', someone i know still said, "Oh its good that you're the one to pick up your children, at least you got a job to do." oh and "You've got a master degree, and you're still a stay-at-home mom". (this is just the TWO examples of the many others I received). Evenings were never a TV-time for me either.

And I was thinking like, "what is she thinking by saying that 'at least i got A JOB to do?' ?" Perhaps she simply can't understand the 'many jobs' that I ALWAYS have to do at home (I'm not complaining about what I have to do--just getting to a point here). As she only has to do the 8-6pm job. I do respect this friend here (and also other working moms out there) who has to work 9-5 or 8-6 and then come home to their family and kids, being tired and only have just an hour or two with their kids before bedtime. They have to sacrifice some part of their lives to spend time at work whilst they could spend the time with their family as they wanted to. But they have their own reasons why they chose to work, and so do we, why we chose to stay-at-home. But whatever the reason is, I'm sure its just what is thought the best option. I will not complain whether its best to be a stay-home mom or be the working 9-5 mom, for I believe every mother knows what's best for their own family :)

But, the stay-at-home mothers don't normally get the respect they (we) deserve. We are usually underestimated, not being understood & appreciated, considered as 'she's not working and just staying home'. I'm not saying EVERYone says that, as some people do realize the important roles we do & play as the stay-at-home moms, and understand & appreciate us. I really THANK YOU for those people :) :) It always feel like such a 'blessing' to be felt appreciated.. :) :)

If people asked me, 'What do you do?' when they're referring to a job, my first answer would be "I'm a Mother", and i would say what am I working as, as my next answer. But that was before I had my own family, and YES, i was a working Mom as well before up until just before I had my 2nd son. I had a career, which I gave up when I decided to be a full-time Mother & wife at home. I came to the point where I realize how IMPORTANT it is for me to be with my son (I haven't had my 2nd son yet) at home, and how much the little one needs me to be with him. And Family Financial wise, I have faith that there will always be others things I could do to help out the family funds. What has always been important for me is whats important for my family, and Alhamdulillah, we're given the wealth of LOVE around us.. :)

I have never felt such satisfaction in my life, when I know I get to be around my family especially to my two little kids whenever they need me. I feel blessed indeed! Two wonderful children that I get to see growing everyday, learn new things everyday and have them shared with me, keep the house running and in order, and I'm always there when dear Hubby gets home too :) Thank God for such blessings in this life. And to the working Moms, please don't get it wrong as I'm not comparing my life with anybody, I am just sharing my story with other mothers, and hopefully we'll be more appreciated by the other people one day. I always remember how this man, a family's friend saw me taking care of my two small kids, told dear Hubby, "Wow.. staying home and taking care of these small children must be even harder than taking a PhD." and said how impressed he was with a mom like me having to face all the challenges raising up the kids myself, with dear Hubby have to go to study/work and only have the evening with us. There, I feel 'appreciated' :) He is right, actually.

'Exhausted' is always there with me, and I can never push it away from me. Its simply part of being a Mom. And I would never complaint to ever 'quit my job' as a mom :) Its the way mothers accept many things for being a mother. And being a Mother, I tell ya, is the most wonderful thing that's ever happened to me. From the moment you gave birth to your first child, the joy that can't be expressed by words, the tears you shed when you're happy/sad raising your family during the ups and downs.. oh so many things! I feel lucky to have my dear Hubby who understands & help me a lot around the house as well as raising the kids..I know he's doing the BEST he could when he get the chance to :)

Before I forgot to mention this, the case if different if you have a lending extra hand at home, such as helpers like housemaids who help you clean your house, watch your kids from morning-evening, and make your house work so much lighter (having housemaids are very common in Malaysia, my hometown). This applies whether you're a working mom or not, they still make your house work much lighter. But my whole story up there is all about a stay-at-home mom who doesn't get to have any extra lending hands from anybody, and that's my case. We live in our own privacy, own story. And that's just our story. :-)

Please forgive me if i've offended anybody as I have no intention to offend anyone, not even in particular! :) That'd be all for today.. God Bless.