Every day, I wake up with my 3 oldest kids to help them off to school.
I make them breakfast.
I help them pack their lunches and zip up their coats. I sign their binders, load up their backpacks and see them off to the bus. I give them hugs and kisses. I tell them, "Remember to be kind and make good choices" as they walk out the door.
My youngest 2 are still sleeping. I quickly change and workout. It is a time I look forward to every day. The house is usually quiet. I can focus on me; strengthening my body and mind.
Babies wake up and we all eat breakfast.
After breakfast, I clear and wipe the table, then I sweep.
Jake and Jane help me unload the clean dishes that were cleaned the night before.
Some day, we go grocery shopping to restock our fridge and make meals.
I try to do a load of laundry every day so I can keep up with it.
We play with their toys. Puzzles are their favorites right now.
We have reading time, where we read the same book 30 times. Jake also works on a school workbook. He loves anything that has to do with letters or numbers.
We have lunch and around noon, I put Jane down for a nap. This may or may not be a happy relief for me.
There are those who want me to walk away from all this today. To ignore my responsibilities, my family and my role as a wife and mother.
I'll pass. I'd rather take care of my babies and run my home like our family likes it. Why? Because I love them.
This phase in my life is temporary as my kids continue the grow, despite how much I fight against it. I am very fortunate to be able to stay home, to take care of the house and nurture my kids. I wrote this post as a way to show that women who stay at home aren't worthless, inferior or weak. We are the backbone on society. It is mothers who raise the next generation. It is up to us to teach children to be self-reliant, confident, kind human beings. So many important responsibilities fall on our shoulders. No one should lessen that important role & privilege. And why do we do these things? Because we love our family and want to help and support them. And its this love that helps us to do these things.
There is nothing wrong with family, children, and being home with them. Women aren't less when we choose to be home. Women aren't less when we choose to be more.
More present. More loving. More kind. More nurturing. More generous. Women are naturally nurturing. We love to love. The day-to-day things I do for my home is a gift to my family because I love them. And I get that there are days where I do not feel that way. I promise. There definitely are days where I long for just 24 hours all to myself. But again, Motherhood is such a privilege. We sacrifice our time, careers, education, bodies, sleep, etc for these little ones. In return, we get glimpses of heaven when they laugh at your silly face, or snuggle into your arms when they have just woken up from their nap.
The world wants us to feel less, to feel ignored or we are worthless. But we must realize that our role in the home, to our family, is what really matters.
*note*
This world is imperfect. So is life. I realize many of you aren't in ideal situations and can't be home with their kids. This isn't a guilt post for you. The desire of your heart is what matters. I wish everyone could live their lives how they would want to. Only in an ideal world, right? The point of this post was to just help the world see that those who choose to be home or are able to be home to be "just a mom,", there is nothing wrong with it! It is an amazing role and much more important than what the world wants you to believe. I know every mom out there is doing the best they can with the cards life has given them! XOXO
