I have a confession to make. Up until one month ago, I thought I was going to have to go back to work as a nurse, working 12 hour shifts at the hospitals and saving the lives of those who look at you as a glorified stewardess, and the thought of that, scared the you know what out of me. Nurses have a tough job and they are highly under appreciated and for the most part underpaid. They do jobs that no one wants to do and get beat up by patients who should be kissing the ground they walk on.
On to my next point…. you know who else has a really tough job??? STAY AT HOME MOMS!! Seriously, there’s nothing like spending every ounce of energy on little people who don’t thank you and don’t let you sleep. They follow you everywhere, disobey and then hit you with the cutest smiles after they’ve emptied the entire roll of toilet paper in the bowl.
So, as a nurse turned stay at home mom, you can only imagine my fears about the next 10 years of my life, and all of the questions that come with it… like how do I tap into my time management skills and get these kids on a schedule? Can I call in a consult on my crabby toddler? Are there any pamphlets that I can print out to help with this scenario? and my favorite… can I medicate these children and let them sleep it off?
Truth is that no one really prepares you for full child-immersion and regardless of what job you work, there’s always quitting time. So, as a working adult, turned stay at home mom, I have had to figure a few things out to help me keep my sanity as I attempt to raise three little humans.
For those of you mamas who have no idea what they’re doing when it comes to being a stay at home mom… fear no more. I am starting a club. A we don’t know what we’re doing but we really want to figure it out club. A lets lean on God’s grace because we surely can’t do it on our own club and a Lets hold each others hand as we dive hard into a life that we are freaking out about, but we know that it’s ultimately for the best club.
So does it sound appealing? Are you interested in joining because I could certainly use the moral support.
For the next few months, I’ll be dedicating an entire section of this blog to this new adventure of being a brand new stay at home mom. I’ll share a few tips, write about what I’m learning and introduce you to some amazing mamas who have totally figured this stay at home mom thing out.
My hope is that if you’re a newbie-stay at home mom like me, you’ll find some encouragement through these pages and you’ll feel comforted knowing that we are rooting for you and are here to offer up all kinds of ciber-support.
I’ll be calling this section Steady Motherhood and I’ll be starting a IG tag #STEADYMOTHERHOOD if you want to join me there too!
So here’s to all the stay at home moms, the ones who have traded in their Masters degree, briefcase and corporate ladder accolades for leaky breasts, Daniel the tiger re-runs and potty training accidents. Here’s to the moms who have sacrificed so much to see their kids grow up with the knowledge of the Word of God and who time and time again show their kiddos the love of God through their daily tasks!
Lets start a club yea?
“Your greatest contribution to the kingdom of God may not be something you do but someone you raise.” -Andy Stanley
Aw TERESA i FEEL FOR YOU. AS A SEASONED MOM OF FIVE (AGES 12, 10, 8, 6-TWINS) I RECALL ONLY TO WELL THE EARLY STAGES OF MOTHERHOOD. I HOLD AN MBA/GO GATORS-I AM A LICENSED REAL ESTATE BROKER/APPRAISER WORKING PART TIME FROM MY HOME OFFICE. THAT INCOME GOES DIRECTLY INTO A COLLEGE FUND FOR OUR CHILDREN. IN MY EARLY CAREER I HAD HELP FROM MY MOTHER/DADDY AND IN-LAWS WITH CHILD CARE. BY THE THIRD CHILD I ELECTED TO GO PART TIME AND THUS BECAME AN APPRAISER ONLY (IN A FAMILY RUN BUSINESS). OOPS BABIES 4-5 CAME AND I WAS SO HAPPY I WAS WELL ESTABLISHED IN MY PROFESSION AND EASED INTO PART TIME. I ALSO RUN NOW 10 BLOGS ON WP (AS THAT IS MY TIME AND THERAPY-DRAFT AND SAVE). LOL. IT TAKES A LOT OF PATIENCE, DETERMINATION AND ORGANIZATION. FOR US FLORIDA IS HOME AND WILL ALWAYS BE HOME-I NEVER HAVE TO FACE A RELOCATION OUT OF STATE. MY HUBS IS WELL ESTABLISHED ENGINEER WITH MULTIPLE BUSINESSES. LIFE IS EASIER AND VERY GOOD FOR US BUT WE WORK HARD EACH DAY TO KEEP IT THAT WAY. IT DOES GET BETTER AS THE CHILDREN GET OLDER. THEY ARE ACTIVE WITH BOTH SET OF PARENTS, DANCE, PIANO, VIOLIN LESSONS, KARATE AND A HOST OF THINGS OUTSIDE OF SCHOOL. SUMMERS ARE THE BEST BECAUSE I GET TO REALLY SPEND A GREAT DEAL OF TIME WITH THEM. FOR YOUR SANITY I WOULD CONSIDER WORKING PART TIME-EVEN THOUGH YOU DO NOT FEEL YOU ARE APPRECIATED IN YOUR NURSING CAREER. IT IS YOUR TIME FOR YOU. LETTING FAMILY HELP WITH THE CHILDREN IS THE SAFEST METHOD I FOUND. I READ YOU ARE MOVING MIDWEST? I HOPE THAT CHANGE FOR YOU WORKS OUT IT IS A TOTALLY DIFFERENT LIFESTYLE. WINTER IS NOT OUR THING-PERIOD! SNOW AND ICE AND ME WOULD NEVER GET ALONG. LOL KEEP ME POSTED. HUGS TO YOU-CHERYL
Cant wait to be part of this group! You’re one inspiring mama and one to look up to!
Aw, this is so inspiring. I’m a SAHM-wannabe (when/if the Lord blesses us with children!), so I’m excited to read along with you:)