The attack on Ann Romeny's working habits could not have come more timely for me. Work has been on my mind a lot lately. A good majority of the moms work here in my new neighborhood. From photography, nurses, in home work, hair stylists, to physical therapists.
I watch these talented women and sometimes wonder why I have choose to stay home. We are on a much different budget than these families that bring in dual incomes. I have a college degree and growing up I always wanted to be a professional working woman.
As I type this Peter is sitting with his arm around me, and I remember how short life is. There is only one chance to raise your kids. There are lots of chances to work.
When Steve and I had our first child Luke, we talked about how I would be a stay at home mom. We did not know how we would do this financially-nothing added up. But this we did know:
“No other success can compensate for failure in the home.”
David O. McKay
So on faith I stayed home and have ever since. We have been greatly blessed.
The job of a mother is more important than any other job. Do you know of any job that has such long term effects as does a mother. What a mother teaches her kids, and how she raises them affects generations upon generations.
My friend who works full time as a nurse, and we discussed what we thought of Hilary Rosen's comments directed at Ann Romney. We both took a totally different stance on what she said. As a working mom she saw Hilary's point and thought her comments were misunderstood. As a stay at home mom, I was shocked at how an "intelligent" women as Ms. Rosen could make such uneducated, stupid, and false remarks.
We noticed our differences, understood each others point of view, but also saw how their is a great divide upon working moms and the stay at home moms. Each thinking their job is harder, and that the judging needs to stop.
We all know that moms work hard. Enough said on that. What bothered me with Ms. Rosens statement is where she went deeper saying
"[Ann Romney's] never really dealt with the kinds of economic issues that a majority of the women in this country are facing in terms of how do we feed our kids, how do we send them to school and how do we -- why we worry about their future."
I think stay at home moms know this well. Our family is on a very fixed budget. It is very stressful.
I worry about my kids future constantly, and that Ms. Rosen is why I stay at home.
If I could ask Ms. Rosen a question. I would ask her what particularly she is worried about in her children's future. Does it deal with money? Because if so, I think she has her priorities all messed up.
While money is important and is a necessity in life, it is hardly something to be putting as a priority in your worries for your children's future. Which I truly believe Ms. Rosen was saying because she was talking about economics at the time.
Here is what you should be worried about: That the world is evil. That kids are being exposed to drugs and underage drinking at a younger age than ever. That pornography is everywhere you click on the Internet, that prime time TV has things I don't like my 11 year old to see, that kids are getting bullied and becoming bullies as well, kids are becoming troubled and delinquent.
My main priority as a mother is teaching my kids to be loving, accepting, service oriented, and hard workers. These are the things that will make their future bright. It does not matter if you live in a home where the parents make a million dollars, or 40,000 dollars, it is how you raise your children and where you put your priorities that will change our future. Money or the fact that you are a working mom or a stay at home mom does not change the future, the character of our children will change the future.
All this being said, I have taken a small job at my gym teaching swim lessons. It works around my schedule, gives me a free gym membership ($60 value), and will give us a little spending money.
I have already started prioritising things differently now that I will be working. The thought of working and being away (even for a short time) makes me realize how precious time is with my kids and I want to make the most of every moment with them.
This post was in no way intended to put down the working mom. Many working moms do a much better job rearing children than do stay at home moms.
Let every mother realize that she has no greater blessing than the children which have come to her as a gift from the Almighty; that she has no greater mission than to rear them in light and truth, and understanding and love; that she will have no greater happiness than to see them grow into young men and women who respect principles of virtue, who walk free from the stain of immorality and from the shame of delinquency. . . . I remind mothers everywhere of the sanctity of your calling. No other can adequately take your place. No responsibility is greater, no obligation more binding than that you rear in love and peace and integrity those whom you have brought into the world.
–Gordon B. Hinckley
–Gordon B. Hinckley
It just made me realize my blessings. I live in a great home in Daybreak. I don't work, and we live off a humble income. The Lord has truely blessed my family and listened to our needs, not our wants.
