Working Women. That seems obvious, doesn’t it?
Yet how many women count themselves as a working woman?
Especially if they are not employed by a company and earning a take-home-and-bank paycheck?
They are in the dentist filling out address lines and checking boxes to indicate they have no life- threatening health problem and that they haven’t had a recent mental breakdown. They then come across the question – employment.
They pause and wonder what to write.
They may decide to leave it blank and instead check that they haven’t passed a kidney stone in the last year.
And yet, I know countless working women.
Who is cleaning the house? Making dinner? Filling out permission sheets and checking that homework is completed? Who is washing clothes and taking a sick dog to the vet? Who is volunteering at the library, the food bank, and leading a girl scout troop? Who is making a meal for the new mother at church, inviting neighbors to dinner, and leading a bible study? Who is coordinating their parent’s health care and hosting family dinners?
This is all work. Necessary and important work.
The world would collapse without mothers reminding their children to eat their vegetables, brush their teeth, and tie their shoes; if women quit reminding their mates to take their vitamins, send their mom a birthday card, and oh yes, Tuesday is trash day; or if women quit volunteering their evenings and not-so-spare hours, countless volunteer organizations and projects would fold up and close.
You may not receive a paycheck every month, paid vacations, job evaluations (unless you count such comments as, “this has too much salt,” as mini job evaluations), sick days, pre-set work breaks, and the most important kicker of all – a start and stop time, but that doesn’t mean you don’t do valuable necessary work that is as important as other work.
I am writing for The Better Mom this week. Please continue reading at The Better Mom for the rest of the article.
May link up at Jennifer Dukes Lee (#tellhisstory); Holley Gerth (#coffeeforyourheart), Lori Schumaker (#Moments of Hope), Crystal Storms (#HeartEncouragement), Arabah Joy (#Grace & Truth).
Thanks for stopping by. Keep remembering what’s important.
Theresa
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Join the discussion: How do you undermine your worth as a mom or woman?
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Thanks so much for the reminder and encouragement, Theresa. Blessings to you.
Thanks Boma.
Heading over to Better Mom, Theresa! Can’t wait to read the rest of your post!
Thanks for stopping by, Beth, and then continuing on. 🙂
This is so true. I have had a very part time job for 3 years and it has been nice to earn a little money, but I am so tired from it and all the other things I do. When I started, my then second grader said, “but who’s going to take care of us?” I don’t know how women have full time paying jobs and kids!
I hope this encouraged you Sarah. We women are vey capable and can do so much. But that doesn’t mean we can do it all. Let’s remember it is alright to ask others for help. We may need to lower our expectation. Take time for our self and stay healthy. And all work makes us a crabby girl. Motherhood is hard and definitely a challenge. Add a pat time or full time job in the mix and it gets even more complicated and hectic. Feeling for you.
“This is work. Necessary and important work” Amen! Great article!
Thanks Karen. Glad this spoke to you.
I was home with my children when they were young. Now that they are grown with families of their own I work outside the home. I have never felt as if either was the wrong thing to do. I think it depends upon what is best for your family.
I agree with you. One is not right and one is not wrong. This is not a competition. I do want us women, though, to quit discounting our worth and contributions to others (whether it be our families or companies or whatever) and see that we are all contributing to the good of this world and the people in it. If we cheer and celebrate one another, we will not be comparing. If we take pride in our work, so will others. And if we join together, we will be moving mountains with our mustard seed faith.
I love this article! I completely agree about stay at home moms are working women. Most women must work outside the home due to finances. I think a lot of women would rather be with their children if they could. Kudos and blessings to all the different women in different situations. They are valuable!
You hit the nail on the point, Colleen. All women are needed. All are valuable. All have worth and are necessary. All are working. We need all of them and all are appreciated.
I really struggled with this the year I stayed home with our daughters. After my husband stayed home with them for two years (he returned to school in the evenings), I would have willingly stayed at home with them until they started school–he finally understood that staying at home is WORK!
Thanks for your comments, Anita. Sometimes walking in someone’s shoes changes our perspective. I know every time I leave for a few days or so, hubby is so grateful when I return home. My teenage son said the other night that being a mom looked pretty easy and left one with lots of extra time. My husband and I just looked at each other and laughed.