I've been feeling very guilty about the lack of energy I have been experiencing of late. At the end of the day, I look at my bomb shelter house and marvel at the incredible mess and wonder if I did anything productive the whole day. I look at my blog as the days/weeks go by without a post and wonder where my time went. So, as I sit here at 10:30 at night waiting for the last load of laundry to finish so I can move it to the dryer I ponder where all my time was spent and could I have made better use of the day. I started doing calculations in my head and realized there are just not enough hours in the day to accomplish a mothers job. So often we (stay at home moms) hear: "What do you do all day?" So I have figured it out...the motherhood math...Mommy-by- numbers:
Feeding Kinley: 5-6 times per day at 45-60 minutes each session = avg. 5 hours a day 7 days a week
Driving Kids to school: 40 minutes round trip 2 times a day 5 days a week
School morning breakfast/lunch boxes: 15 minutes a day 5 days a week
Preparing Dinner: I will be conservative and say 4 hours a week (since my hubby is so nice to allow meals out a lot)
Helping Kids with Homework: 1 hour a day 4 days a week
So if you do the math, these tasks alone account for a 51 hour work week. This doesn't include all the household chores that have been taking care of (cleaning bathrooms, washing/folding clothes, dishes, grocery shopping, changing diapers, giving baths, bill paying, volunteering at school...the list could go on and on).
So why do I do it? What keeps me sane?
It's my 10 year old saying "Mom, you are the best Mom in the whole wide world" (in appreciation for bringing her violin to school that she left at home on accident).
It's my 7 year old asking me to read a story with him.
It's my (nearly) 5 month old finding me from across the room and smiling until her eyes disappear.
It's these things and more that make me so thankful to have the most difficult, demanding, underpaid job in the world but more importantly to appreciate the sacrifice MY mother made for me and my siblings when we were growing up. I truly do love my life as a mother and I wouldn't change a minute of the day. And now my washing machine is done.
4 comments:
51 hours huh??? Is that all???
Yeah, I wouldn't trade it for the world either!
And thank you Mom, you are the best!
143
I loved your post. I ask myself those same questions. Being a Mother is the hardest but most rewarding job, I have ever had!
Oh, yes definitely- while I don't have the same demands that you do, I do think about how fulfilling it is to be at home with Joshua and it's all a great tribute to our wonderful mom that we not only got to experience ourselves, but got to learn from such a great example!
This probably is NOT the best post to remind you that we never got all 30 days of blog posts. Could you perhaps add in some blogging time to your 51 hours of motherhood? ;p
Post a Comment