I’m a stay-at-home mom. Doesn’t that sound divine? To be fair, I know I
have it easy. My husband makes the majority of the income, so I’m able to do
the other stuff.
The other stuff is enormous. Huge. It’s so big, my husband has to help,
too (the garage does not clean itself). I work as well. I do this writing
thing, and it has deadlines, and some days it’s incredibly hard.
Add in this moving thing I did in December, and well…. My ship is
sinking. In fact, I’m typing this at 10pm because it can’t wait until tomorrow,
or the next because I have deadlines looming, and my 7yo daughter has this
concert, oh wait, two concerts, and my 14yo son is in need of clothes because
I’ve shrunk everything (or is he getting bigger--again!).
In truth, maybe if I had this home schedule all along it’d be easier
because I wouldn’t know any different. But I’m in culture shock. London school
life was so different.
There, I walked my daughter the half a mile to school every day. That got
in my exercise and times-tables quiz time. All moms brought their kids to the
gate, we visited, and then got on with our days.
My son had been getting himself to school and to his after-school
activities by age 12. Other than making sure he did his homework, I didn’t have
to worry about him at all.
In America, my son starts school at 8:45am. The bus can’t get him there
on time unless he leaves much earlier. Since we are new, I’m not putting that
burden on him. So I schlep him out of the house at 8:20. Unfortunately, my
daughter has to come with us. Really unfortunately, her school doesn’t start
until 9:30. So she’s stuck in the car an extra 45 minutes (we do her homework
and run errands).
I’m not even going to mention that my son gets out of school at 3:15pm,
and my daughter at 4:10. Or that some days he can’t get himself home. Like
Tuesdays, when I have to pick him up, and drive him to the library for
volunteer time. Then drive to pick daughter from school, only to return to the library
(while she eats in car) to pick up son. Continue driving to another school so
my daughter can have orchestra practice and where my son can take a bus home.
She and I don’t return home until 7:30pm when we eat dinner (maybe…if I
prepared it earlier).
I can’t start work until 10am and on good days I write until 2pm. And I don’t want to think about my house, that I’m living in a suitcase
still or the fact our container full of clothes hasn’t arrived yet
(though the moving company has had it since December 6th). It’ll be
Spring and I’ll still be wearing my winter wools….
Am I crazy. Is this driving all around schedule normal for parents in
America? How have you been doing it all this time? And why is the image of stay-at-home
moms all about eating bonbons? It’s not that way in the UK. Here, I feel I have
to justify my day with people I meet. Do you?
Whew. I’m glad I can share this. I truly do want to know how you do it,
and if I’m missing a trick. Please tell me there’s a magical time bending
necklace I didn’t know about….
Nicole :-)
Nicole Locke is the author of Harlequin Lovers and Legends series. For more information about her and her writing, check out her website and follow her on Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and Pinterest.
2 comments:
Yes, American women spent a lifetime in the car schlepping kids to and fro school, sports, activities, and anything in-between. And yes, the American SAHM must justify why she stays home. Why? I have no idea. It just is. And, I'm one of those SAHMs justifying staying home after the kids are getting older.
Here's a fun quote for you: “A suburban mother’s role is to deliver children obstetrically once, and by car forever after.” -Peter De Vries
denise
Hello Denise!
That's a great quote, not what I want to hear, but funny nonetheless! Is it bad that I feel some relief that I'm not alone in the daily schlepping?
In truth, I've been discovering benefits lately. Like lectures on doing homework are being heard...captive audience and all that...
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