Working Moms Take a Stand!

The other day while driving to work, I was listening to the local Christian music station and something came on about finances and being a parent...Basically it was stating, do not worry so much about money because when you do, both parents are working and then you have to deal with the guilt of not being at home with your kids...Ok so as if it isn't hard enough knowing that, it doesn't help to hear someone else say "you shouldn't be doing that", but then it got me thinking...why should I feel guilty for doing what I can to help provide for my family and knowing my son is having more fun at daycare than he would if we were sitting at home together.

A lot of mother's these days are working moms and yet there are still so many expectations placed on them. If the role of the man/father is to be the breadwinner and provide for the family and the woman/mother's role is to take care of the house and children, why is that when the woman decides to help out, she's still expected to do more?

I'm not necessarily complaining, because my husband does help out a lot, but at the same time, when the topic of me staying home is brought up he gets angry and says he refuses me to be a lazy stay at home mom (to be clear: I do NOT think that stay at home moms are lazy in any way, that is strictly HIS point of view and NOT mine). But I do think that working mom should be shown a little more appreciation...we're going beyond our "natural calling" by helping to provide financially as well. I don't understand why it's OK for a man to work long hours, come home and want to relax, but when a woman does it, she's neglecting her family?

I enjoy my job, it may be reeeeaaaalllly stressful and annoying at times, it might not be the most lucrative industry and it may keep me away from my family more than I'd like, but if I have to pitch in financially, I am going to be doing what I went to school for and what I like to do. I don't like being told "why would you want to be a Stay At Home Mom when you went to college and got a degree"...Well if I worked so hard in college and got a degree, why would I want to work in an industry outside of that?

I know life isn't always fair, but this is my blog, so I can state what I want...That being said:

• It's not fair that a woman/mom is expected to do all the childcare, so that when a man does it, he's really going above and beyond. I enjoy it, I enjoy taking care of my son, but sometimes I need a break too.
• It's not fair that when I work long hours, I'm made to feel guilty
• It's not fair that when I do want a break and "me" time, I'm made to feel guilty as well and feel like I'm "leaving" my family.
• It's not fair that I have the pressure of helping to provide financially, but the way I choose to do so is not good enough because of the hours and the fact that it's not a lucrative industry.

Maybe it's just me, but I feel like the women/working moms have a lot more expectations than men. Men are expected to provide financially for the family...what else?

Women/Working moms have to:

Work 40 hours a week to help provide for the family

Do the shopping

Do the laundry

Do the cleaning

Makes sure her family is eating healthy and living a healthy live

Stay in Shape

And not that this is a bad thing by any means, but majority of the time, a child wants mommy, so no matter how tired you are or worn out you are, you get up and you're there for your child.

I love being a mom more than anything and am not complaining in any way about my duties as a mother, I am simply stating that mommy's need a break too and deserve it more than once a year.

Working mom's are strong and independent women... We work because we want to help provide financially for our families, we work because we want to pay our own bills. Men should appreciate the fact that we aren't marrying them and then making them pay for our debts. Women are supposed to be appreciative of the work their men do for them to have a good lives...we are, but ya know men aren't the only ones doing something, so it'd be nice if we were shown a little more appreciation as well.