it's like this

I am not into politics. And by that, I don't mean that I don't vote or follow the candidates. I simply mean that I really don't enjoy talking about it. I cringe whenever my hubby brings it up during dinner conversation with other people. It seems to be one of those topics that brings out a lot of emotion in people and causes us to revert to playground antics of calling names and throwing things. So typically it isn't something that I would even consider writing about. But then Hilary Rosen said, “Guess what, (Romney’s) wife has actually never worked a day in her life," talking about Ann Romney's role as a stay-at-home-mom. Hilary has since apologized for the comment but it struck a nerve.
What is it that people think stay-at-home mom's do? Eat bon-bons while we watch soap operas? Sleep in till 10am and spend the day in our pajamas? I can't eat bon-bons because one of the dragons would discover them and then they would want some and then there wouldn't be any bon-bons left and I would have a sugared-up preschooler. And by the time 10am rolls around I've already gotten three kids up and dressed, fed them, washed the dishes, read eight books, played four games of candy land, fought a battle against evil pirates in the backyard, broken up three fights, set the timer for three time-outs, juggled a baby on one hip while chasing a three year old around the house, and kissed about four boo-boos. If I'm lucky, I found time to take a potty break and if I'm really, really lucky I actually got to do it by myself.
I don't know what it is like to be a working mother. I do know what it is like to spend the entire day, every day, with a four-year old who is a perfectionist and is in the whining stage. I know what it is like to spend every day with a three-year old who pretends that I'm speaking a language he doesn't know so that he can do whatever he wants. And I know what it is like to spend the day with a 6-month old whose only desire is to be fed and to have my face two inches from hers at all times. And it is wonderful and fabulous and exhausting and heartbreaking and frustrating and just plain hard. It sure feels like work to me.



photo by nereocystis  http://www.flickr.com/photos/56789206@N08/6313554435/