SAHMs (Stay at Home Moms): Are We Appreciated Enough?

Being a SAHM is one of the best and most rewarding jobs any woman could ever have. Yet, some may think that all we do is sit around watching soap operas and eating bon-bons. Not so. Being a SAHM is hard and stressful at times. One day a year we are surrounded by our loved ones and shown how much we are loved. Is this enough? Some would say no. Many times, more often then not, we start to feel unappreciated. We work 365 days a year, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. There is no such thing as vacation time, sick time, or days off in our job description.

Then we also have to be a jack-of-all-trades, filling the shoes of many different occupations all at one time. Some jobs are more stressful than others. So I have compiled a brief summary of the different jobs that are required of us to be a SAHM. Keep in mind this is not a full list of all the jobs we do, as there are too many to list, and every day we face new challenges.

Maid - The main job of any SAHM is being a maid: cleaning the house from top to bottom, making the beds, scrubbing toilets, dusting, and mopping the floors. Plus piles of laundry that must be done as well. The chores are endless and time consuming. Many times they do not get all done in one day, leaving more to due the rest of the week.

Chef - Another very important job of any SAHM is being a chef. We must make sure that breakfast, lunch, and dinner are prepared. We have to decide what will be cooked and if it will be nutritious enough. Of course this may seem like an easy task, but it is far from it. You have the picky eaters. No matter what you put in front of them, they are never satisfied. One day they may eat something that you give them; then the next time you give it to them, they don't want it. It can be very frustrating. Yet, with everything else that we must do in a day's work, we always manage to get the meals cooked and served on time.

Doctor/Nurse - It is inevitable. Kids will be kids. They will get hurt or sick at some point in time. It is then our responsibility to tend to them, give them medicine, dressing their wounds, and giving them lots of TLC. Of course having lots of chicken noodle soup on hand is always a good thing also.

Butler - We must see to it that the kids are dressed. They have had their baths (making sure they have washed behind their ears), brushed their teeth, and done their chores properly.

Accountant - We are in charge of budgeting the money. We have to see that the bills get paid on time and we often have to find anyway possible to save money for the vacation we so badly need. In addition, we have to make sure there is enough money put away for those emergencies that always seem to pop up out of know where.

Counselor - It is a given that a day will come that people in the family will have a bad day. They will need someone to confide in and talk to. You are always expected to have the advice they need and a shoulder to cry on. We must be able to comfort them and give them our undivided love with hopes that we have eased their mind. This is not the hardest of tasks, yet not the easiest either.

Detective/Investigator - When there are kids in the house, things will get broken, come up missing, and most certainly lies are told. It is our job as a SAHM to sort things out: to determine who is guilty, where that missing toy disappeared to, and who is telling the truth. This can be very aggravating especially when you are stuck between the usual "he did it, no she did it" with no other witnesses.

Chauffeur - Not a day will go by that the car won't have to leave the driveway at some point in the day. There are always football practices to go to, trips to the library for research, taking them to school, and seeing that they get back home.

Teacher - Last but certainly not least, we must be a teacher. Now I don't just mean helping them with their homework. We must also be able to teach our kids manners, how to share with others, and to get along with others. We teach them how to love one another even though they really don't want to. We have to make sure they understand that life is not all about them. With toddlers that is a hard task all by itself.

To most people this all may seem so easy. But, at the end of the day we are exhausted, tired, and stressed. Yet, we do it. Day in, day out with no pay, except to see the happy smiles on our kid's faces. Many times our hard work goes unnoticed and seems to be unappreciated. But deep in our big hearts, we know they have noticed and appreciate what we have done and the sacrifices we have made for our family.

So, in closing. Are SAHM's appreciated enough for what we do? Or are we under appreciated? Should we be given more support by our family for the sacrifices we have made? I leave it up to you to decide. I know my answers. What are yours?