I'm going to get flak for this, but I can't stop thinking it, so here goes (better than saying it out loud to them)...
If being a stay-at-home-Mommy truly is a *full-time* job, why do EVERY ONE of the Moms I know who choose to stay at home pick up a pyramid "party business" like Tupperware, Lia Sophia, Wildtree, Pampered Chef or Norwex?
Added from comments: The problem (from my perspective) is that to make any money at these businesses you really have to work hard at them. Let's say you have a great show one night and net $100 in sales. That probably involved 7-10 hours of your work (help, am I exaggerating?) And each show is usually around three hours of your time away from home, so to have two shows a week you are gone two evenings a week from your beloveds and you made around $10/ hour for your work. And you've "worked" 20 hours that week.
end of added section
Or they get over-involved on boards and committees and volunteer work (and complain about how busy they are). These are Moms with small children, like me!
God bless them all, but let's replace the phrase
"Being a Mommy is a full time job, that's why I choose not to work outside of the home"
with the more accurate phrase
"Choosing not to work outside of the home allows me more flexibility to pursue all of my interests, foremost my children's upbringing".
Thoughts?
Uhh... maybe because it's a full-time *unpaid* job, raising children on one salary is tough, and they want a little extra income on a flexible schedule? Or because they get sick of all baby talk all the time and want some actual adult interactions and conversation once in a while? I don't have children, I'm just speculating.
ReplyDeleteChildren require full-time care, but I'm not sure that being a mother needs to be a full-time job. The sanctimony of declaring that "being a mommy is a full-time job" drives me batty, because it's implying that mothers who work aren't being mothers. Once kids are in school for seven hours a day, are those SAHMs no longer being mommies?
ReplyDeleteI think I understand what you're saying. Women may feel they have to overstate things so no one is judging. Damn all those judgery folk.
ReplyDeleteI have no children, not do I really interact with children, so I'm approaching this from a different angle...
ReplyDeleteI have what I consider to be a "full time job" -- I'm in the lab 70-80 hours per week. In fact, compared to a lot of people outside of science, I work the equivalent of two full time jobs. But I still participate in activities outside the lab; I play recreational sports, I bake, I knit and crochet and sell baby blankets on the side. I hold a full time job AND do other activities.
Isn't it kind of the same situation with being a "full time" mother? I guess I consider standard full-time jobs to be the standard Monday-Friday, 9-5 type jobs. If they're the only person staying home and taking care of children all day everyday (though, as anonymous above points out, this would stop when all children are in school and I do often wonder what exactly a stay at home mother does when the kids are in school), but choose to pursue a different activity at night or on the weekends (i.e., sell tupperware), isn't that the same as what I'm doing?
No one tells me I don't work a full time job because I have kickball one night a week or sell a couple of baby blankets here or there, even though I still continue to pursue interests other than just my work.
mmmn hmmm. agree with you all. a.b. yes, i am convicted.
ReplyDeleteI'm in Canada so I don't even know what most of those businesses you mention are, but all pyramid schemes I find to be creepy and not a great way to make money, selling (mostly) useless stuff to folks who are supposed to be your friends and family not "customers". SAHM or not, if someone I knew tried to get me into one I would judge them - for being a weirdo.
ReplyDeleteHahaha. It's so true. Yes, I wish they would stop trying to sell me stuff! No candles, jewelry, discovery toys, passion parties, mandura energy drink, *insurance*, I know I'm forgetting some...
ReplyDeleteSugar Sci; you have a good point. The problem (from my perspective) is that to make any money at these businesses you really have to work hard at them. Let's say you have a great show one night and net $100 in sales. That probably involved 7-10 hours of your work (help, am I exaggerating?) And each show is usually around three hours of your time away from home, so to have two shows a week you are gone two evenings a week from your beloveds and you made around $10/ hour for your work. And you've "worked" 20 hours that week.
ReplyDeleteDr. Becky- I embedded links for your surfing pleasure. Personally, I like Pampered Chef the best. The products usually are very good and the shows quite classy.