No one understands the plight of stay-at-home moms except those who've chosen this path themselves. Many people (particularly working moms) seem to think that SAHMs are on some endless vacation, sipping chardonnay on play dates and strolling through the park. As if! In an effort to correct these misguided notions — as well as let stay-at-home moms know they're hardly alone in their suffering — we asked them to spill the beans on the hardest moments of their day. Read 'em and rest assured you've got plenty of company!
What's the hardest part of being a stay-at-home mom for you?
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Singing 'Wheels on the Bus' at the Café Sing-Along
Not just once, but over … and over … and OVER. Your tot may love the tune, but you're sick of it. Nonetheless, it's now haunting your dreams. You find yourself humming it in the shower. If you hear it one more time, you will LOSE IT … or just grit your teeth and sing it again.
The Naptime Crunch
You attempt to squeeze a week's worth of tasks — doing the laundry, mopping the floor, catching up with friends on Facebook — into the space of one nap. And rather than going down for two hours, your kid pops awake in 20 minutes. Aaagh!
The Eye Glaze
Seeing certain strangers' eyes glaze over at cocktail parties when you answer the question, "So what do you do?" Of course, being a stay-at-home mom is an important and fascinating job, but some people just don't get it — or even if they do, it's so foreign and unfamiliar to them that they just don't know what to say and drift away from you at the earliest convenience. So NOT a self-esteem booster.
Answering the Question 'So What Do You Do All Day?'
This isn't a question — it's a passive aggressive accusation. And whatever your answer ("we went to the playground," "I researched preschools"), it's bound to sound lame to anyone who hasn't done it themselves day after day and realizes it's hard work.
Feeling Clueless About Current Events
With kids around, it's hard to find time to read the daily paper or keep up with current events. The result? The next time you're out at a dinner party where they're engaged in a rousing argument about Islamic air strikes or the state of the economy, you sit there nodding your head, hoping no one will say, "Well, what do you think?" Since when did you become such a wallflower?
Getting Hooked on Cartoons
While you might not know a ton about current events, you do know everything about My Little Pony! Like, why certain horses have horns and wings and others do not, why Nightmare Moon causes so much trouble … against your will and better judgment, you're hooked and dying to know what happens next. And that can feel weird. Is this really what that Masters Degree you got is for?
Seeing an Outfit You Adore in a Store ...
But you refrain from buying it, since money is tight in your one-income home compared to the days you worked and had two paychecks to spend. And besides, where would you wear it anyway? It's not like you're going into an office or out to clubs every weekend like during your free-spirited youth. Plus, anything fancy would look just plain weird at the playground or get strained peas stains soon enough. Best stick to yoga pants. Sigh.
Seeing Your Kids Excited Because Dad's Home
Wow, watch how fast your kids run into daddy's arms when he strolls through the door. Of course they treat him like a rock star: He's never around! But you, well, you're always there, so your kids treat you like a piece of furniture. Except when they're hungry. Then they treat you like a chef.
The 'Let's Watch TV' Brush-off
After 10 hours of goo goo-ing at babies or fielding poop jokes, you're dying for an adult conversation once your husband gets home. Only he, on the other hand, has been talking his head off all day to adults and just wants to veg out in front of the TV. Sure, you're together, but you feel so alone. Plus, self-esteem issues rear their head again as you wonder how that Matlock re-run can possibly be more interesting than you.
The 3 A.M. Wakeups
If your kid wakes up with an earache or "just because" at 3 a.m., you're always the one to drag yourself out of bed, since your husband says he "needs his sleep." Um, and you don't? Plus, once your kid has drifted off again right on top of you, you can't get back to sleep, leaving you to wonder, My god, what has become of my life? The instant you do drift off at dawn, your kids are up again and at 'em! Repeat step one and get ready to sing "Wheels on the Bus" …
