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The Et Cetera

The Et Cetera

The Et Cetera

Stay-at-home mom best job for little pay

By Genereicia Foster

Not every stay-at-home mom is a lazy, trash talking, gold-digging woman. We don’t all live in big houses and have nannies at our beck and call. Shows like “Basketball Wives” and “The Real Housewives” have warped people’s perceptions about stay-at-home mothers.
Honestly, I used to think the same thing before I took the job myself. How hard could it be to stay at home and cook and clean all day? I’ve learned it isn’t as easy as it seems.
I have five children ages 7 and under, and taking care of them every day isn’t easy. My husband works an evening shift, so during the day I am usually responsible for handling their activities. Believe it or not, this is a full-time job.
Being a stay-at-home mom is one of the most challenging yet rewarding jobs I have ever had.
My day starts at 6 a.m. when I have to coax my two oldest boys, Josiah, 7, and Micah, 6, out of bed. I make sure they are dressed appropriately, brush their teeth, wash their faces and have their backpacks ready by 7:15.
After I send them off to school, I still have three tiny terrors to tackle: Joel, 5, Trinity, 3, and Kamari, 1.
Between 7:15 and 11:30 a.m., I am cooking breakfast, starting my morning chores, helping the kids get dressed and preparing lunch before dropping Joel off at school at 11:55. If it’s a Tuesday or Thursday, my school days, the morning is more hectic.
Usually between 12:15 and 2:45 p.m., I’m finishing whatever chores I wasn’t able to complete that morning, working on homework, and running errands before picking Joel up at 2:55. Then I rush home to meet my oldest boys who are dismissed from school at the same time.
From the time they get home from school to their bedtime at 8:30, I’m assisting with homework, cooking dinner, helping them find school clothes, take baths and reading bed-time stories before finally tucking them into bed.
After all that you’d think I’d have some “me time,” right?
Nope, that’s when I begin my evening chores. I also study and complete any homework that wasn’t finished earlier.
Once I’m done, showered and ready for bed, it’s about 11 p.m. I’m exhausted, yet fulfilled.
In this whirlwind of daily events, I am able to capture timeless, precious moments with my children.
I enjoy hearing them giggle after a joke we share or watching them talk animatedly while enjoying one of their favorite cartoons.  I love seeing their excitement when we are baking together or after I unveil a surprise.
I like to watch how determined they are when attempting to do something for the first time.  These are the moments that I live for, and I wouldn’t be able to experience this if I was still working full-time.
I get to plan their schedules and spend extra time with my children. I can experience all of their milestones firsthand.  I don’t have to wonder what they are doing or how they are feeling because I am there to ask them.
I’m sure life would be easier if I was one of the “Real Housewives” characters, but that’s just not reality for stay-at-home moms like myself.
We bust our butts to take care of our families, our homes and lastly ourselves. But it’s all worth it.

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