Sunday, December 23, 2007
So, what do you do?
One of my least favorite questions asked by complete strangers. I must admit, I also ask it when I'm meeting someone for the first time but I now vow from this day forward that I will not ask that annoying question. Who wants to be catagorized and judged by a single answer to a stupid question. I hate being labeled and judged the minute I answer that question. So, what do you do? Lets see...(and I'm not ranting, I'm just kinda annoyed) I am a stay home mom. I wash, dry, fold and put away laundry (if I'm lucky, if not we live out of baskets for a few days), I shop for food, cook food, eat food, get turned up noses about my food, get praised for my food. I am a loving supportive wife (well, I think for the most part-after 15 years together I'm getting the hang of it). I teach, I read to, I sing to, I give affection to 4 other humans beings in my home. I could go on and on but I'm not trying to tell you all the things I do...the point is...I am more than just one answer! I feel like when I answer this question to people, it seems so boring or not important. I love my job! Somedays it sucks I must admit but for the most part, I am so blessed! I love my job! Next time I feel like asking someone that dreaded, what do you do question... instead I'm going to ask, SO, what things do you like to do?
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6 comments:
Amen, to that post! Most often people really don't appreciate the person behind the laundry. :-)
You commented on my post, so I, of course - hunted you down... Always great to meet another red sox fan, my husband would LOVE to live in New England. Have a very merry Christmas, by the way, your husband is a fabulous DAD for tolerating the hairstylist!
seriously. I feel the same way. I've never found a satisfying and complete answer to that question.
xox
B
I think I disagree with the idea that there is anything wrong with asking people what they do. I don't ask because I am trying to label someone. I ask because I am looking for common ground and it's jumping off point to get to know them. A person spends the majority of their day at their job...how can they talk about their life without including it...whatever the job is...doctor, trash collector...mom... What a person does for their "work" tells you a lot about what they like and dislike and what they value.
I say, tell people your a stay at home mom with your head held high. Don't give them the opportunity to judge you. If you act like it's the best job you ever had (which it was for me), how can they question it? Everyone should be doing what they want most...don't let anyone's "judgement" make you feel like your job is anything less than important and valuable!
Thanks Kelli. I really don't think others are judging me, I think I'm just judging myself. Lately, I've been feeling like..."what DO I DO?" I do need to take more pride in my work and "hold my head up" and not feel like what I do is not important. My job is the most important job in the world...
It certainly is hard to find the value in being a stay at home mom, especially when you are wading through the dirty diapers, dishes, crying, whining, arguments, errands, etc...
I know that for me the pay off is when I see my kids making great choices, choosing Jesus over the world and loving others. They are well adjusted and secure in my love for them and they know they are valuable enough that I was willing (and, thankfully,able)to take time out of my life to be with them. I can't help but hope that the years I spent at home with them helped further that along...at least a bit. Hold tight to those moments and you will see the importance!
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