The Life of a Stay At Home Mom

The life of a stay at home mom (SAHM) is a full time job. The pay is non existent, the hours are long, some days are more challenging than others, and at times it can be lonely. BUT honestly, it is the best job I have ever had. While I was pregnant I was sure that I would take my maternity leave and go back to my then "dream job". I loved teaching and my students (well most of them) meant the world to me. I was in a job that made a difference in the world and I worked with some really awesome people. There was no question, I was going back. Unfortunately life doesn't always go as planned and after a difficult pregnancy and pre-term birth and a stay in the NICU, my whole perspective on motherhood changed. I get some flack for choosing to stay home and always feel like I have to defend my decision. Yesterday I was at a birthday party for a close friends daughter and again had to defend my new line of work. As we were talking a woman asked if I was back at work. I told her that I decided to take this year off and and hoping to only go back part time next year if at all. She turned to me and said "you are talking to the wrong women here, we are all working mom's and can handle it just fine" in a very bitchy  snooty manner. I wish I could have come back with a rude remark (my mind doesn't work so fast), but I think the look on my face and how I scooped up my baby and walked away said it all. Now looking back I wish I would have told the stupid you know what until you are one day pregnant with twins and the next day not, find out at 20 weeks that you have a 75% chance of losing your baby if you don't have a risky surgery, have a surgery while pregnant, be on bed rest for two weeks, constantly worry that every move you make will make you go into labor, have a baby 4 weeks early, have to sit in a hospital waiting room 11 hours a day to feed your baby every 3 hours, and then cry your eyes out as you watch the hospital disappear in the rear view mirror and knowing that your son can't come home with you, being an emotional wreck for 11 days, and finally being able to bring your baby home, DON'T JUDGE ME! Then I felt like saying well we don't have a maid and a landscaper to do all our work at home you stupid judge mental piece of work! My experience showed me what is important in life.  I may not have all of the fancy things we could have had if I had been working, but I have time, time with my little boy! Had I not had all of these experiences, I probably would have gone back to work and I give so much praise to working moms. They have two full time jobs and deserve more than just one day (mothers day) to be thanked for all they do. I just wish people weren't so judge mental and rude, or would at least ask "why" before opening their big fat mouths!