Today, many mothers have the possibility to choose how to live our motherhood. The factors and reasons may be unique for each woman, but regularly when talking about motherhood there are two options: return to the world of work and be a mother who works away from home, or stay at home with your children.
Personally, I believe that both situations have their respective responsibility, but for many people, being a mother who stays at home seems effortless or important. Therefore, today I want to share a reflection, in which yes, I recognize that I'm lucky to be a mom who stays at home, but that doesn't mean it's easy.
How lucky you are to be home!
This is probably one of the phrases most heard by mothers who stay at home, particularly if in their city or social circle most women work outside the home. And it is very true, not all mothers can afford to leave their jobs to stay at home with their children.
In Babies and more 11 things that a mom who stays at home needs you to knowIt is certainly something that many agree on: yes, it’s something very nice and you’re very lucky to be able to stay at home, particularly in a society where women are now expected to return almost immediately to work after having their babies.
The problem is that the Being a mom who stays at home is something that has lost a lot of value, recognition and / or merit, particularly after fighting and celebrating the rights and spaces of women in the work environment, which was previously dominated by men.
Perhaps, precisely because there are still many spaces to fight for in the workplace, the fact of being a mother who stays at home seems something that is not worthy of recognition. Thus, some people see it as something "easy" or relaxing, one luck go, for "just" being a mom who stays at home.
When they think it's like you're on vacation
This might sound like something invented, but it has really been my turn to meet mothers who say that, by saying they don't work in any office or place outside, people They congratulate them and mention that it must be great, because staying at home with the children is as if they were on vacation. But no gentlemen, that is not so.
Staying at home with children and being a full-time mother, or even working from home with children, can be everything: a wonderful experience, something very rewarding, the dream of many, but without a doubt, It is not even remotely similar to a vacation. I dare to say that it is one of the most demanding jobs in the world.
In Babies and more The message of a mother for those who think that moms who stay at home "don't work"Of course The routine of each mother who stays at home is unique and according to their needs and responsibilitiesBut I am almost certain that most of us can agree that work at home, which includes raising children and at the same time taking care of all the things that are usually done daily, is one that never ends:
It starts even before opening our eyes to wake up, either because our children need us or we start thinking about the morning routine, until we put the head back on the sleeping pillow, but not before mentally reciting the list of earrings to the next day. Physically, he is tired, mentally, probably more.
We do not complain, nor do we deny being mothers that we stay at home. Most of us are very happy to have this opportunity and have been able to choose to do things that way. But we have to say it: to be a mother who stays at home is to do an invisible and little valued work in the eyes of others, and although it may seem that we do nothing, we actually do everything.
My experience
Before working from home, I used to work in an office 40 hours a week, sometimes a little more, on certain occasions when my job required me to stay a couple of extra hours. I will not deny that it was very exhausting all that routine of going out to work, but not before leaving everything ready at home for my daughter and at the end of the day return to try to do everything possible in just a couple of hours. And of course, it was also quite unmotivating to be away from her most of the day.
After a while, I quit and I was a full-time mother for a year, until the opportunity to work from home was presented, which came as a ring to my finger, because I am a very restless person who likes to be involved working and thinking about what to do next, but I wanted to continue staying close to my daughter.
Clarified that this is just my personal experience, but I have to admit, that being a mom who stays at home has been more tiring for me than when I worked outside. When you have a baby or young children at home, all your attention and energy is divided between them and the list of household earrings each day.
In Babies and more A woman documents the day-to-day of motherhood for those who believe she does nothing at home to seeThat fabulous illusion called "free time" does not exist, and although I always recommend looking for moments for you alone, most of the time you should juggle to try to have it and this usually comes when everyone has already fallen asleep, so you end up sacrificing valuable minutes and much needed rest. As I said, it is not a complaint, but all that can leave you exhausted.
Now that my daughter goes to school, I have three or four hours a day "free" to work, go out to make some payment or buy things that I need. But mostly, it's still heavy, because children need mom and we must be there for them, whether or not others are pending and responsibilities to fulfill.
So yes, I am very fortunate to be able to stay at home, but that definitely does not mean that it is easy.
Photos | iStock
