Being a mom is the most wonderful, hardest, most lonely and sweetest jobs in the whole world. Being at home full-time is something I always dreamed about. People used to ask me what I wanted to be when I grew up and I never had a typical answer for them because…all I wanted to be was a mom!
This title is not for everyone, and I can understand why. Nothing about it is easy… You’re always on, your work day is 24/7 with no holidays off, oh and you don’t get paid. You hope you’re being intentional enough with your kid, you do laundry, clean the house and make dinner (if you’re lucky), you change diapers, try and figure out a schedule, and in the end, you just pray that your child will grow up to be a good human…all while trying to survive on minimal sleep, while holding yourself together and trying to remember to feed and bathe yourself…oh and did I mention you do all of this without pay. So, I totally understand why this job title is not for everyone. Although a lot of this job is behind doors while wearing yesterday’s sweatpants with a spit up on nursing top, this job is by far the best and most important job!
I have had a lot of amazing professional opportunities, all of which have given me confidence in who I am as a working woman but it wasn’t until I became a mom that I realized how much I rely on a "rubric" to measure my confidence and success. At a “typical” job you get paid, have adult conversations, and know how you are doing based on reviews from your boss.
As a mom, you have none of that…when people tell you there is no manual to this job, they're not kidding! On top of not knowing if you're doing a good job, there's constant input and judgment from everyone on how to do things and constant comparison to other moms, which then makes you question your way of parenting. Sheesh, sounds pretty brutal when I put it on paper! Although I have only been doing this mom gig for 4 months, I have learned that I cannot measure my confidence and success as a mother through a rubric of comparison but only through the happiness and health of my child and family.
I have also learned that for having the most important job, mom’s don’t get remotely the amount of appreciation they deserve…Maybe it's just me, but the simple words "you are doing such a good job" can do so much for a mom. All I ask is that if you are reading this, send a card or message or note to a mom you know and tell her how much you appreciate her! Tell her how amazing she is for choosing to love others before herself. Tell her that she is so selfless to put her family’s needs before her own. Tell her that every decision she made has been good. Tell her not to worry about what others think and to move forward with confidence. Tell her that it doesn’t matter that she has been wearing the same clothes for multiple days. Tell her that it’s okay to have hard days and not want to be a mom sometimes. Tell her that being a mom is the most important job in the world. Moms don’t hear affirmation enough and they are the ones that need and deserve it the most.
Whether you are a stay at home mom, working mom, or a mom that works from home, I hope you know how valued and vital you are to society. I hope you know that although your days may seem lonely, you are not alone! I am writing this with the hope that you feel encouraged and appreciated! I hope that the next time someone asks you what you do, you can answer with confidence in knowing and believing that you have the most wonderful and important job in the world; you are a mom!!
Abby is a Mom and an amazing team member of Baja Baby. She lives in Colorado with her husband Alex, their beautiful daughter Amelia Grace, baby boy Amos Lee and Maple the dog. You can find Abby on Instagram by clicking here.
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