Please, Don't Call Me That...

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Seven years ago I was fresh faced college graduate, degree in hand, thinking I was going to spend the rest of my life living gloriously in the professional world. Working was where it was at. Working was the thing to do. By God, if I wasn't out in the workforce then I wasn't doing much of anything!

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Never would I have dreamed that I would one day end up 1,700 miles from home, and keeping myself busy at home *GASP*. At the ripe old age of 23 my brain could not FATHOM wasting such time.

Now, here I am with an almost 19-month old, and I'm at home with him. All day. Every day.

Are there days I wish I was still working? Absolutely. Are there days I miss the career I started post-college? For sure. I loved that job, I loved my co-workers (shout out to my Shawnee Parks and Rec family), and I loved that paycheck. 

But now? Now all my efforts that were once put forth to help other people, and other people's kids... Well, I am able to focus all of that time and energy to my little man. 

When people ask what it is I do often I've found myself saying, "I'm just a mom." Down-playing my job. In all actuality, it is the most important, most demanding, most stressful, and most rewarding job I've ever had.

Some would call me a stay-at-home-mom. And, to be totally honest, I despise that term. Let me explain...

Too often the verbiage, "stay at home" is portrayed negatively. Staying home seems to implicate days are filled with endless hours of free-time, lazy afternoons spent channel surfing and eating bon bons, and naps galore. It's quite the opposite. 

My days are jam packed. I have to plan out breakfasts, lunches, and dinners. Then I have to prep said meals (with a toddler hanging on my leg), make said meals (with a toddler hanging on my leg), and figure out how I'm going to get my little man to eat said meals without a full-blown melt-down. Meal times can be daunting, and exhausting. Let's not even venture into the world of running necessary errands (ie. grocery shopping, post office trips, Target trips) with a toddler.

Aside from meals, days are spent teaching right from wrong, left from right, circles from squares, blue from red, and on and on. There are also play dates that need to be arranged, and toddler classes that need to be attended - interaction and stimulation with others is vital and necessary for both my main squeeze and me.

Each day when I wake up I put on several different hats and become the jack of all trades.

I'm a nutritionist.

I'm a chef.

I'm an educator.

I'm a moderator.

I'm a translator.
I'm a psychologist.

I'm an organizer.
I'm a janitor.

I'm a story-teller.
I'm an arts and craftser.
I'm a sing songser.

I'm a bruise-kisser-make-it-all-betterer.

I'm a dishwasher.

I'm a rules-setter.

I'm an enforcer.

I'm a to-do list maker and checker-offer.

I'm a nature explorer.

I'm a swim teacher.

I'm a lifeguard.

I'm a chauffeur.

I'm a building-blocks-builder.

I'm a master toy-truck-driver.

I'm a walk-around-the-block-6,329-timeser.

I'm a clothing and hair stylist.

I'm an exercise therapist (get outside and run, little one!).

I'm a bath giver.

I'm an affection showerer. 

That's just Monday.

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According to this site, if a full-time mom was to be paid, her annual salary would be $112,962.

My job is vital. And, I know every working-mother feels the same about her position. I'm not here to argue working versus staying at home. We're all trying to survive and make our lives work the best way we know how. At the end of the day we are all just doing what we think is best for our kids.

One last thing. I have a small favor to ask...
 Please, do not call me a stay-at-home-mom, or a SHAM. What I do is so much more. If a label needs to be placed, then please, call me a full-time mom.


Post-publish edit: After chatting with some moms who work full-time it has been brought to my attention that working moms aren't huge fans of the terminology "full-time mom." This carries the implication that working mothers are only part-time moms. Not the case. In order to settle the terminology dispute, a good friend of mine (thanks Andrea!) suggested I go with the term "Domestic Engineer." I like it. I'm using it.