So, I let things build and build attempting to allow time for things to correct themselves. Until I can no longer stay quiet. I have heard for the stupidity for years, "it must be nice to stay home all the time." Well, let me tell you a little something, I think you've got rocks in your head! I've heard it all! "why don't you go get a real job, must be nice to stay at home, I couldn't afford to not work, yada yada."
Being a stay-at-home mom is the most rewarding and the best job ever. HOWEVER, it is the hardest thing I have ever done in my LIFE!!! So, take those snide, idiotic and asinine remarks out in the back forty! I bust my ass from the time I get out of bed in the morning, until the time I finally drop at night...and some nights, I'm up all night with someone that is sick too! I do NOT get vacation days, sick days, or a day off for that matter. The crazy part of my "Nice life being home," being taken for granted...because I'm home, I have time to do everything for everyone. If I get sick, guess what....there's no sleeping it off to get better. There's no one going to make ME chicken soup, do the dishes/laundry/run the vacuum. That's STILL me. I WILL NEVER REGRET being just a stay-at-home Mom, but before you open your mouth to be ignorant...you better take a step back!
I am crazy upset with the ignorance I hear, see and run into. I'm not sitting at home everyday eating Bon Bon's, watching soap operas. I'm running budget numbers, I educating my child, I'm planning meals, I'm doing dishes several times a day, I'm doing laundry, I make trips monthly to do the grocery shopping, I'm keeping inventory of our food/animal food/farm supplies/vet care and a million other necessities. I'm dealing with minor repairs or gardening, taking care of the inside animals and part of the outside animals too. I'm mowing the yard, and attempting to keep a respectable home and life. As far as a "job" goes...not only do I hold down the equivalent of 4 full-time jobs, but I can't AFFORD to work off the farm. Especially at this stage, I'd be working to pay for working. No thanks!
I'm grateful for a husband that recognizes a lot of what I do. The thing is, when you are a stay-at-home-mom, you are on-call 24/7. You are expected to drop everything if someone needs you. You are expected to have a museum clean home, a perfect yard, and be perfectly put together. Screw that! I bust my ass folks! I do this FOR my family. There are days when I am flat out dog tired. Yes, the rewards are eventually worth it. However, this time of the year, is crazy busy. Your entire schedule revolves around Mother Nature's PMS! So, you may have plans to do one thing, and the switch flips, and you have to make a massive u-turn to something different. It's obnoxious and irritating, but I haven't figured out a dance to cure Mother Nature's PMS yet!
Here is a great example. Last week was chilly and rainy(as most of the past couple months have been), so when I saw a 5 day break in rain...I was garden ready. We are already a month late getting everything in. Since I decided to enlarge the garden again, it had to be worked several times. Unfortunately, that is one of my many limits. I'm not strong enough to run the tiller. Then, the main tiller broke and we've had to borrow one because our our already tight budget would not allow us to purchase another one - even used, they are selling like they are made of gold. So, with wet weather, that meant the garden had to dry enough not to end up with giant mud balls. It finally did that a couple days ago. When it was finally able to be worked,my hubby was already in fertilizer mode for the pastures and hay ground. That meant repairs on the old sprayer, finding parts in our lovely economy, and working through the temper tantrums that old equipment throws. Kuddos to him, he took time away from that sprayer to run the tiller for me. Well, the temps went from 70's to 100+ in the blink of an eye. As I have reach that lovely stage of transition for women, that heat coupled with hot flashes....BAD combination. After almost passing out one day, getting dizzy and light headed the next...I decided staying out of that heat as much as possible, was the best idea. We do not have central air, so the air conditioners are still in the shed. I can't afford the increased electric bill right now, so I have tried to suffer through this heat and the extra heat. However, my garden is not yet planted, I am chomping at the bit to get it done...but I am also realistic of my limits. The older I get, the harder it is to recover when I push those limits.
Our home schooling is another area that is effected by the rest of the chaos. We work hard throughout the year. We do this year round, so we can take days off or shortened days, as we need them. While we have had too many distractions this year, we have some catch up work to do. That will mean buckling down, and pulling the "Mom" card, shutting down the internet, removing distractions, so that we can focus on the job at hand. We still have a few weeks remaining of this school year(ends June 1) so we will be ok, but I will be breaking into drill sergeant mode again to keep this on track. Education is my highest priority and with the new year looming....we are not going to be starting back up running in the red.
As I said, Drill Sergeant Mom, is about to lose her shit. I have let a lot of shit slide as I've had my own distractions to overcome in other areas, that I will not discuss. I allow myself several hours a week to learn something new/research. I go over my budget every single day. I review the inventories in my home every week. I prepare a meal plan for a month(although it does get swapped around a lot). I cook everyday, do dishes everyday, do laundry nearly everyday, vacuum everyday. I take care of our inside and part of the outside animals everyday. I attend meetings and fund raise several times a month. I grocery shop once a month, sometimes twice if the sales are good. I juggle the schedules of everyone in my home. I'm preserving food as I can, I am starting seeds, I'm caring for all the plants ready to get in the garden. I get the same as zero help to get most things done. I'm sure many stay-at-home Moms say the same thing. So don't ridicule those Mom's who are home. We bust our ass, for no pay, 24/7, and listen to idiots that don't have a clue.
The whistle is coming out! "Off your ass and on your feet maggots!" It's time for people to step up or step out!
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