This really annoyed me

we were having a lovely evening home when the phone rang after 8pm ...that never happens

so I answer it and it turns out to be some person collecting information for my high school's directory so do I have a few minutes to verify this information I said SURE

Name ____

yes
address ___
yes

Any degrees you wish to share with your former classmates

I said

"I have a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Health Care Administration"

silence

she then said

Anything else?

No one was enough for me thanks!

then she gets into the family listing
"I have you listed as married to David"
yes
any children
yes and I list their names Alexander Timothy Zachary Nikolaus and Quentin

her comment Wow 5 boys no girls?
no
and your occupation ?

Mom
very well
housewife

NO sweetie I am not a housewife I am not married to my house I am a Mom that is my job you don't have enough room to list everything I do so just put down Mom and anyone who is smart enough to understand will get it and anyone else I don't care enough to speak to!

grrrrrrrr

I should be above this. I really should. I have never had a "career" I went from dating to being a mom very quickly I have spent my life and my work has been my children . I have done well I am giving the world 5 terrific young men

3 who are already proving to the world how amazing they are. 2 more are still in production due for release to society as soon as they are more prepared for school.

Why does this annoy me so much

because I work literally from the time I wake up till I go to bed at night
anyone else have a career like that?
I don't get a coffee break my coffee break is taken while I am cleaning up after a meal

I make meals at home from scratch I don't serve convenience foods etc for my kids those things are treats

my house is NOT spotless it is in controlled chaos at all times if I let up for even a day that control is LOST

I care for the animals I care for the garden I make things to sell I clean and straighten and color and change diapers and wipe things down and sweep and pull the kitten off the baby and let the dog out a million times a day not to mention the whole schedule keeper thing that most people would hire a secretary to handle the various messes we have going on

I do more in one day than many people do in a week in their "career"

it annoys me because I know I am NOT the only mom who busts her ass (and trust me I don't work too hard)

it annoys me because this is not the only vital "career" that is ignored by our society and devalued because it is seemingly so common

This job takes creativity to do it well it takes perseverance and patience and an ability to multitask like no other and if you don't believe that come over when the toddler has diarrhea and watch a small child go from having only 4 limbs to having 20 just to reach that stuff that made mommy say OH YUCK THAT IS NASTY!! which in boy language is "I must touch this immediately because it has to be cool!"

ever try helping a 4Th grader with their math while making dinner?

how about helping a neighbor kid with their homework while a bird flies through the pane glass window shattering it around you? (happened last week a grouse flew through the window but that is another story!)

I work in a war zone!!

I get paid plenty by my kids I don't need compensation but I also do not need some condescending Chickie poo on the phone wearing a walmart head set acting like I sit on my butt all day eating bon bons!!

I got off the phone with the woman after turning down her offer of this miraculous book that would put me in touch with my old high school buddies for a mere $100.00 split into two easy payments of 49.95 plus shipping and handling of course
and Dear Dave who was sitting across the room from me looking oh so proud that I did not blow at the dear telemarketer (you see I only said please list occupation as MOM not housewife)

He was beaming in my younger days I would have let the young lady have it with both barrels

oh well I am getting weak in my old age the battle will have to be taken up by the next generation of mom's who will learn as I have that it is a thankless job in many ways but it is a job well worth the work sweat tears lack of sleep and wrinkles and grey hairs

it is a job that i would not trade for any big time "career"

I have been given a gift my kids and it is my job to mold these young boys into the men who will run the world of the future. It is my job to teach them enough of the past to know who they are and who they came from. It is my job to fill them with hope and foster their creativity so they can go out and MAKE the world they place they dream of
and now I will get off my soap box because it was just something that annoyed me and after all the work I do I can't stand to see my job demeaned by anyone and I do not want politicians to just pay it lip service either!

I just want to say this so the working mom group does not get all pissed at me

IF you are a working mom I know you bust your ass too this is not a post about which is better working mom or SAHM this is a post about being a MOM

I feel all mom's are working moms paycheck or non paycheck moms we all struggle with the same things we all are supposed to have the perfect clean house well behaved kids we all deal with the same kinds of things if you feed your kids convenience foods and are OK with that cool they are YOUR kids. My point is not what I do for my kids (I am no saint when it comes to motherhood trust me!) my point is how society looks at motherhood and pays it lip service and does not see the work that goes into the job.