Stay At Home Mom

Sunday’s Family Circle cartoon hit home for me. The Mom with her blank look glaring at the Census preparer who has just stated she is “only a stay at home Mom” when referring to her employment status. A very large bubble emerges from the Mom’s head showing her nursing a scrape, doing the laundry, cleaning the house, cooking, teaching the children, and paying the bills. Does this sound familiar to anyone? I can definitely relate! I give much respect to the Mom’s that go out to work every day and still accomplish the tasks at home and spend time with their little ones. It must not be easy. However, there is a stigma in today’s society that if you are a stay at home Mom you obviously are not educated, do nothing all day, and my favorite, are beneath those who go out day to day to a job and “contribute to society.” When I encounter this attitude, which let’s face it is usually from the opposite sex, I have to laugh. We are such a diverse group and bring so much to the table. Think about it for a minute. Who can juggle a schedule better than a woman who can do a load of laundry, a load of dishes, feed the dog, and still occupy a toddler all at once? What a fierce creature. She is called “Stay at home Mom.” We do it on a daily basis and our reward is the smile on the little one’s face and the hugs and kisses. In the adult world, there are very few rewards. It is sad to see that most women who have taken the time from their career to stay at home will be rejected for positions upon re-entry into the work force. Employers will ask why you have been out of the work force and tend to put your resume in the do not call back pile. What a big mistake!! The assumption is that we wouldn’t be ready for the position since we have been out of the setting for some time. Let me give these people some insight. Most stay at home Mom’s are highly educated. In fact the U.S. Census Bureau shows that 46.9% of stay at home Mom’s have a BA or some college courses and 7.4% have advanced degrees. Most stay at home Mom’s have been working continuously on their education since leaving the workforce, can handle any hectic schedule you throw at them (they do it every day at home), and are highly creative (because let’s face it to handle the hectic lifestyle you need to be creative.) Are these not the qualities any employer would love to have in an employee? So next time ladies someone wants to call you “just a housewife” or “only a stay at home Mom” thank them for the compliment and laugh at their lack of knowledge and their ignorance. I say kudos to all of you and keep up the good work. I thank you and I know your children do too.