Monday, March 15, 2010

Validation

I am a stay at home mom (the majority of the time). I don't often feel like a good stay at home mom because the house is not usually as clean as I think it should be or the laundry didn't get folded the day it was done or Kyle is still in his pajamas (or I am) at 3pm in the afternoon. Then I feel guilty when I want my husband to help out with things that I deem to be "my job" like dishes, bath, or diapers. I am under the impression that this is how it goes for a lot of stay at home moms (if you are a better stay at home mom than I---Mallory, Amy, Rachelle, etc.---please just don't tell me about it :)

I don't do craft things. I have found that even though I try, I fail at coupons. We only have the car twice a week, so we don't do cool things like walks at lakes or play grounds or much of those things. And (shamefully hanging my head) we watch too much tv when at home.

Well, it is spring break for Evan, so although he has to work all his usual days this week. He got to be around for my Monday routine and will be for my Wednesday as well. Usually on school days he leaves at 7:00 am (before Kyle is awake) and returns at 9:30 pm (after Kyle is asleep). This morning, we went and got gas, went to have the new car seat checked at the hospital, visited Grandma while there, went to both banks, went to see the midwife, had lunch, napped, went to Costco, and then Walmart. He got to do it all with me, and it was a pretty typical Monday.

At 7pm on the way home, when we still had to unload all the groceries, make dinner, clean up and put Kyle to bed, he looked over at me in the car and said, "I didn't know that you did so much while I was at school. (Quickly trying to backtrack and make it sound better) Not that I thought you didn't do anything, but I just didn't know how physically hard it was and tiring."

For someone who always thinks that her husband works harder and longer than she does, it felt dang good to hear that.

2 comments:

Ami said...

I think society had made it so being a mom involves feeling guilty a lot. Break free, I say, who cares about everyone else's way!
Easier said than done, I'm afraid.

Mallory said...

I'd feel good to hear my husband say that to me too. I just want to note that lakes surround me so I have an unfair advantage to go walk around them. But with that said I think you are a great mommy you love Kyle and it totally shows =)