Undervalued and Overpaid Part 2

"What do you think I do while you are at school?" I asked my young children at the dinner table that night.

A prayer had set me off, punched me in the gut. But my disappointment wasn't about the prayer and it wasn't about my kids. It was about me.

Being a full-time Mom was always a choice. A sacrifice we made. But did my kids know that? Did they value that?

Staying home when my kids are at school, instead of getting a nine-to-five job is confusing to people. My husband shared recently that a co-worker frequently makes comments about the fact that I don't "work". And although I don't care whether he understands our reasons or not, I do find it disheartening and quite presumptuous.

This is not a post about why staying home with your kids is better than working full-time. I refuse to go there because I know we are all called to different things and we all make different choices. And if we are viewing success with the correct ruler, then it doesn't really matter what other moms are doing (or why) anyway.

But for me, this job suits me. And not because I love to clean my house. I am not going to win housekeeper of the year. You won't be seeing me on the next Iron Chef, either. But I do my best and try to find a good balance between the things I want to do (volunteering, writing, photography, video editing) and the things I need to do (dishes, laundry, cooking, taking care of the kids).

"Mommy is a homemaker," my husband told the kids.

"Because without Mommy, we wouldn't have home," my child piped in.

So this is where I lost it. Such sweeter words were never said. Like a soothing salve on my hurting, undervalued heart. It was then that I realized, the people who matter most, my husband and my children, do understand and appreciate what I do.

I have value because I'm their Momma.

And because of them and the infinite ways they bless and fill my life, I am indulgently overpaid —

Whatever it is I do tomorrow.


To read Part 1 of this post, click here.