Not so long ago, but what seems to me now like a million years ago, I worked for a CPA. Yes folks, at one point in my life I had real job with a real paycheck. I worked out of the home for 12 years before I took on the task of a stay-at-home-homeschooling mom.
My paying job allowed me to take breaks, sneak in some personal time, have quite lunches with adults while enjoying uninterrupted conversations, to be respected by society because I bring home a paycheck, and OH! the best one of all is there was never anyone at home during the day so the house stayed clean..I had to only deal with the upkeep. Meals were also easy....local restaurants were my best friends.
During my duration as a bookkeeper/secretary for the CPA firm I had to fill out a time sheet at the end of each day. This sheet was a way to track the time that I spent on each client or administrative work that I did. Sometimes my days were so easy I had to think up creative ways to make it appear that I had actually been working. Other days I was so busy I had only one entry for the whole day.
I have been on both ends of the spectrum. I was a working mom for 12 years and have been a stay-at-home mom for the past 10 years. The beauty of this is that I can give a biased opinion on the pros and cons of both because I have experienced both equally.
In all honesty, they both have their perks. The grass is usually not always greener on the other side but it is easier in some ways. It's all according to what you are willing to put up with and what you consider "work".
From my personal experience, I have to say the hardest job ever is to be a stay at home mom...ESPECIALLY a stay-at-home that has chosen the 24/7 job of homeschooling her child/children. Before you say or think anything...yeah, I know I chose it and I own it, I'm just including this info for effect.
For example, this would be my time sheet for the day...
7:00 a.m. got out of bed, made coffee, straightened house while coffee made...e.g..folded blankets up, opened all blinds, put dishes into dishwasher, watered house plants, etc.
7:15 a.m. take my coffee up to my computer. The time frame between 7:00a.m to 9:00a.m is "my time". It is the only time of the whole day that I get complete peace and quite because the rest of my family is still fast asleep. This is my sacred time and I use it as wisely as possible.
9:00 Prepare breakfast, clean kitchen, prepare Toby's lunch for the day or any preps for meals for the day..usually lunch. Sweep kitchen floor. Wipe down the inside of the fridge. Feed and water dog.
10:00 Strip sheets from the beds and wash. Wash dogs bed and towels. Fold clothes in the dryer. Wash more clothes. fold second load of clothes. Dust living room and bedroom. Mop kitchen floor. Wipe dog slobber tracks off sofa. Vacuum dog hair from sofa. Cut up cantaloupe for Sum a snack.
11:00 Help Toby bathe dog. Sprinkle baking soda on floor and vacuum. Play Skip Bo with Sum and her friend. Prepare snack for Sum and her friend. Wash more clothes. Straighten and sweep out garage. Pick springing weeds out of yard. Pick up dog poop. Control dog from jumping on kids. Kill ant beds.
1:00 Check and drop off mail at the mailbox. Make lunch. Clean kitchen...AGAIN. Fold clothes. Put sheets on the bed. Walk the dog. Play with the kid and the dog together. Collect all the trash out of each room and put new trash bags in. Clean mouse cage. Feed mouse and water mouse.
3:00 Try to figure what is wrong with electronic equipment for Summer. Play with dumb dog again. Feed dog. Train dog. Put treats in dog toy for dog. Answer Summers questions and look at a book with her and answer more questions about the book. Help Sum navigate a website she was looking at and answer more questions. Wipe down upstairs bathroom and clean toilet. Dust upstairs study.
4:30 By this time I'm beginning to weaken mentally because I have been going non-stop for several hours straight. This is point where I start eyeing the bottle of vodka sitting on top of the refrigerator but maintain control and keep my eye on the tasks at hand. I sweep the floor again because obviously I am the only one that wipes my feet before I walk in the door. I kill a row of ants that have made their way to a crumb on the floor.
5:00 I finally get to squeeze my shower in for the day. I was so busy I just now realized that I need a bath. Before I hop in the shower I scour the downstairs toilet and floor surrounding it and wipe it and the sink down. My relaxing shower is short lived because while I'm in there the dog gets into the bathroom garbage can and church folk are ringing the doorbell.
6:00 Finally,the bottle of booze I was eyeing earlier gets a little attention.
7:00 I'm still not off duty, but I certainly feel much better about my job after a good stiff drink. The rest of the night will be hit and miss.
All in a good days work. At least I'm the boss at my job. ☺
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Oh my god- were you channeling me when you wrote this?!?
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like my day, in a neat, hour by hour nutshell, including the eying of adult beverages in the household at 4:30. I usually lose at that point, so you get extra points for waiting another hour and a half. ;-)
I too have been a working mother and a stay at home mother and I can say, totally bi-assed-ly (heh heh) that this is harder. I used to work with adults, who sometimes acted like children, but you could always give them the look that said, "really?!?" and they'd fall in line. Now I work with *my* children and I can't swear at them when I get pissed off--or at least I try REALLY HARD not to. ;-)
I make no money.
I work like a dog, whatever that means.
I get that ridiculous lack of respect from my kids.
I'm lucky enough to have a hubby that worships me. :-)
I like being my own boss too--I'm the only one smart enough for the job! ;-)