bon-bons and soaps

The image that is conjured up when you mention "housewife" is bon-bons and soaps. This is further from the truth. I am sure there are many women (and stay at home men) that endulge in trash day tv and havesweet eating habits. When I think about my days and nights as a housewife being diluted into that image, I feel anger surging within my veins. Granted not every single day is a 'go go get'em boy' kind of day,but mosts days they are unless I just make myself stop. A typical day is cleaning up the kitchen of the mess my husband made while making breakfast for himself and the kids, because of my allergies I typically eat other things. I empy the clean dishes from the washer. Load the dirty ones in and start a new load. I then put things away, wipe down the counters, and sweep the floors for the whole downstairs. I direct children into chores and then settle down to eat my breakfast. By now the kids are asking me for this and that and the other. All want my attention for something. Somewhere in this time we squeeze in school. Life picks up in the kitchen within an hour of my final departure of the morning. The children that ate hour or two before me are hungry again. I commence making lunch. I clean up and give a quick sweep to the kitchen floor. I gather up all dirty dishes and wait for the dishwasher to finish. I run down to start a load of laundry......

This is a typical day. What this does not mention are the homeschool group meetings, scouts, music lessons, playdates, gym time, grocery shopping, and all the other activities we squeeze in. Not mentioned there is the feeding of chickens, cat, dogs, cleaning up dog/cat puke, cat litter, and home repair.

When my husband gets home from work he throws on his pj's and settles down and eats his dinner and relaxes. I pop back up and repeat my morning because the dishwasher needs to be clean when I get up.

My wish is not for people to feel sorry, I chose this life. I like being in this role. Just remember to respect the work of a stay at home moms and know she's probably been on her feet going inside a tiny house more than you have at "work."