Dear Stay-At-Home Mom, THANK YOU.

Back when I was working full-time, the “stay-at-home mom” title always sounded so luxurious. I pictured perfect days with not a care in the world, other than spending uninterrupted quality time with my babies. What could a stay-at-home mother possibly stress about? I could accomplish anything with the endless amounts of “free time” that stay-at-home moms are blessed with daily. It would be the perfect time to start the blog I have always dreamed about, to have extra time for self care, to schedule regular morning playdates with other mothers, and the challenges of being a working mother would be quickly lifted off my shoulders.

Fast forward… I’m currently sitting on a huge pile of unfolded laundry. I haven’t showered in three days, and I’ve quickly finished another bottle of dry shampoo. I’m a present mother, consistently here for my children, tending to their every single need. However, the needs of myself have yet again been pushed toward the back burner. I ran out the front door to take my son to school in my notorious black leggings, a T-shirt stained with baby barf and breastmilk, and my room-temperature coffee that I still haven’t had a chance to finish. Another playdate has been rescheduled, and the extent of my adult interaction today was a chat on social media or a quick conversation with the woman working the grocery checkout line. You would think I would have my time management under control by now. I swear I made a checklist of things I needed to accomplish, but somehow it’s almost bedtime, and I only made it a quarter of the way through.

Where the heck does all this “free time” disappear to? There is something about the stay-at-home-mom life that leaves you feeling stretched thin and overworked, yet somehow unambitious. Your goals for daily success seem so small to the people who don’t understand how monumental it feels to just put on some makeup or take a moment to simply breathe in peace.  It’s a feeling I never truly understood until I wore the house slippers of a stay-at-home mommy. While the rest of the world views your “job” as a luxury, you don’t leave your office at the end of the week, your workday is unending, you never get a sick day, and forget about receiving a bonus for overtime.

If you are a SAHM, you deserve to hear the words, “Thank you.” Thank you for changing countless numbers of poop diapers throughout the day. Thank you for constantly cleaning the playroom while your little ones sneak behind you to pull the same things out of the toy box. Thank you for putting down your hot coffee so you can comfort your crying child. Thank you for feeding your babies before you feed yourself. Thank you for staying strong on days that you feel you’ve had enough. Thank you for never taking a sick day, even when you really need the rest. Thank you for placing your career on hold and choosing the little ones who love you the most. Thank you for running household errands and holding it together when your child has a meltdown in the checkout line. Thank you for being ambitious enough to give your undivided attention to raising the next generation. Lastly, thank you for always placing the needs of others before your own.

Cheers to another day devoted to our little munchkins, and another attempt to finish a cup of coffee while it’s still  hot!