I am a fan of watching YouTube videos. Mom influencers in particular. I follow them on social media as well. It’s kind of a guilty pleasure, and it is a wholesome alternative to the countless reality shows on TV. Lately, I have found myself getting annoyed with some of these women.
One mom in particular alluded to the fact that she does not think women should work outside of the home and that moms that do cannot be effective. Um … Excuse me? As a working mom, I was highly offended. So much so that I unsubscribed from her channel and unfollowed her on social media. The audacity of this woman to sit on her white couch and pass such judgment was beyond me.
I feel that I am an effective mom and wife. Is my house spotless? No, it is lived in and full of love. Does my family eat home-cooked meals every day? No, but if I was a stay-at-home mom, they still wouldn’t. Do I currently have a pile of laundry that needs my attention? Yes, but who doesn’t? Are my kids loved and cared for? Absolutely!
I will be honest, being a stay-at-home mom was never an aspiration of mine. I was raised in a home where both parents worked and provided for my brother and me. All of my friends had working moms. It’s what I saw and what I am now living. I enjoy being able to financially contribute to my family. It is not always easy. It takes lots of planning, sacrifice, and early mornings and late nights. But I would not trade it for anything.
I often joke to my coworkers that my job is my break from my real job, motherhood. But there is some truth to that. When I am at work, I get to be me, not mommy. I have uninterrupted conversations; I can eat without someone wanting a bite of my food. And when I clock out of work, I am ready to clock into my most important job. I also feel that it is beneficial for my girls to see me work. It shows them that women can be more than just a mom or wife. They can do it all and have it all if they work hard enough for it.
This is no slight to the stay-at-home moms because you all are doing some serious work. We all are! And we should acknowledge each other’s efforts instead of judging them.
