Homemaking or Work Whoring




There are a lot of things I like about being a stay at home mom. 

I like that I am my own boss. I like that I get to spend a lot of time with my children. I like everything about being a mother: nursing my babies, clothing them, doing their hair, reading them stories.  I like watching my children learn how to do things, like walk, talk, sing, wash their own hair, and I get numerous opportunities.   I like looking out my window and watching my birds, looking at my flowers.  I like taking my children out into the world.  We go on outings to the park, zoo, botanical gardens, nature center, library, museums, and visit friends. I like having time for projects: sewing, building things with wood, making bows, and lots of other random things I think of. 

But, as with any job, there are things I don’t like about being a stay at home mom.  Mostly, that part about cleaning. 
It is the part of my job that would be here whether I was a stay at home mom or not, but if I worked for a paycheck, I would hire a maid.  Cleaning is being a work whore.  I know, vulgar.  I need a better attitude.  I know.  Some people call it homemaking. Those are the people I want to be like when I grow up.

The current state of affairs is that there are certain chores I don’t like, and others I don’t like even more, and then some that I hate. On the bright side, there are a few chores I don’t mind. Five chores.
1) watering the plants, 2) taking the trash can to the curb on Tuesday Mornings,3) paying the bills. Weird, but it makes me grateful. 4) preparing the first meal of the day, 5) bathing small children and babies.


Taking the trash can to the curb.  It fills me with purpose.
  Chores I don’t look forward to, but they aren’t so bad:Changing diapers, preparing the second meal of the day, Sweeping, vacuuming, wiping surfaces (windows and counters) cleaning the bathroom, cleaning the bedrooms,
Second meal of the day...not bad.

Diapering, someone's gotta do it.

Chores I really don’t like, and tend to avoid:
Laundry, washing dishes, taking out the trash, cooking the third meal.  A basic rule of thumb is the more I have to do that thing again, the more I don’t like it.
Laundry, again. Forever.
Third meal of the day...ughhh...

Chores I detest and avoid at the expense of myself and others:
Putting clothes away.  This chore compounds monotony with my lack of organization skills, so it is the WORST! But, the most costly, is avoiding calling people in regards to finances. "Hi Comcast, I want you to lower my bill again."  "Hello hospital, let's make a payment."  "Hello student loan institution, let's chat about option." This one doesn’t follow the rule.  I don’t know why I hate it so much.  But, I assure you, I do.  
I need a Coke.


Comments

  1. AnonymousMay 11, 2013 at 8:22 PM

    Oh my gosh! This made me laugh so hard! I love your sense of humor hahaha seriously no one loves doing house chores ALL the time and I totally agree, it is like being a work whore hahaha I love that title hahaha

    ReplyDelete
  2. Marcie ChavezMay 11, 2013 at 8:25 PM

    Oh my gosh girl, you totally read my mind. It's like I could have written these words. I am still trying to figure out how to be a stay at home mom AND hire a housekeeper.

    ReplyDelete
  3. sarahflibMay 11, 2013 at 9:36 PM

    Evelyn. You are a gem. And these pictures are gold! Calling people about business-y things is definitely one of my most hated chores---just hearing you label it as a "chore" actually makes me feel liberated, though! I've always felt like I should have gotten over that particular dislike, but it's okay to dislike certain chores, so I'll just keep on with it.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Evelyn HornbargerMay 15, 2013 at 6:20 PM

      I made a hated phone call today. It wore me out. It only took me a month.

      Delete

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