Happy Housewives

So my girlfriend picked up this book from the library the other week and let me borrow it. This book made me so happy and really motivated me to be a better mother and wife. It seems like nowadays people just look down on moms who are LUCKY ENOUGH to stay at home with their children. Why did you even get a college degree? What do you do during the day? “I would go crazy if I stayed at home with my children” is a comment I often hear. I worked part time during college and I worked a full time job for a year and a half after I graduated college and being a stay at home mom is the hardest job I’ve ever had. There are some days where I wished I had a job to go to, just to escape the chaos of my house. After reading this book, I really want to embrace the things that I need to get done around the house. I need to be proud of having a clean house , being able to do laundry multiple times a week, go grocery shopping during the day when it’s not so crowded, and other things. I think one of the hardest parts of my job is not having any recognition for the things I do (besides my husband telling me how wonderful dinner is and how great the house looks). I don’t get a raise or paid vacation. I can’t take sick days. But I do get the satisfaction of impacting my child every day. When Jack took his first steps – I saw it. When Jack said his first words, I heard them. I get to teach Jack his ABC's and his numbers. I will be able to take Jack to the bus stop or pick him up from school. I can volunteer in the classroom and just BE there for him. I’m physically here for him every day and I am so happy about that. I need to be proud of what I do, but I’ll admit – it’s hard.

Here are Darla Shine’s 10 Easy Steps to be a happy housewife (they are dead on)

• Please stop whining
• Be proud! Being an at-home mom is the most important job
• Stop looking like a housewife
• Make your marriage a priority
• Bond with your home
• Get back in the kitchen
• Keep your girlfriends
• Make time for yourself
• Don't take it all so seriously
• Don't wish for someone else's problems

So I'm going to embrace my full time job as much as I can and be proud of what I do. Even if you don't need a college degree for this job, or if it might not stand out to a fortune 500 company on a resume - who cares! It's my child and he's worth all of the sacrifices I've made and I'm sure I'll make many more for him and I'll never regret it.