WARNING: this is a very controversial blog post, not meant to offend but to provoke deep thought and self-examination
Motherhood...it means different things to every mother. I could probably come up with a thousand things that motherhood means to me, and even still it would not sum up the word. When I became a mom my world changed, profoundly. How I viewed the world and how I reacted to the world became so different. I had a little one looking to me for protection, love, comfort, nurturing, etc. I love being a mommy and always will, bad days, good days, I love it. The gift of motherhood is one of the greatest gifts from God, and with each gift comes responsibility for that precious miracle on so many levels. A responsibility that no one can understand until that child arrives into their life. There is a deep rooted connection and love for that child that goes beyond human comprehension. God designed the bond between mother and child to be unbreakable!
As a stay at home mommy, I feel so blessed to be able to be present in every moment of my child's life. I have had friends and acquaintances ask me how I do it, how do I stay at home with my child day after day, as so many mother's work. My reply always, I would not have it any other way. I do understand that some mothers have to work, depending on their situation and I do not judge. But for me, I feel called to be at home with my child and soon to be children. Motherhood has always been a calling in my life and so early on recognized. As a child me and my friends all had ideas and dreams of what we would be when we grew up. My dream was always to be at home as a wife and mommy, I just never saw myself as anything else. My friends always had dreams of going to college, becoming something great in a big career. A lot of those friends accomplished their desires and are now working mothers.
Largely, in today's world going off to college and having a career takes precedence over a woman being at home to raise her children. The children are usually just sent off to daycare/school to be raised by strangers for so many hours of the day so mom can work. Again, I am not bashing those who have to work due to their dire situation. But if your husband works, and can provide a decent living for your household (and I am not referring to having enough money to buy everything you want or go out to eat all the time or have the nicest of vehicles and name brand clothes), then why as a mother would you want to leave your precious babies in the care of a stranger and miss out on so much of their life??? I am seeing a trend in our world, that if the husband does not bring in a big figure income then mom just "has" to go to work to make more money so they can afford the finer things in life. I am not against having nice things or enjoying shopping, I enjoy those things myself, but when choosing a lifestyle over being at home to raise your babies - there is something desperately wrong with that picture. God gave us our children to raise and nurture, not some stranger, and what a privilege it is.
Am I a perfect mother? By NO means!!!
Do I fail? YES, and sometimes every day.
Motherhood is a journey, a process, step by step, day by day thing. I don't want any one of you to feel that I am saying you love your child less because you do work outside your home, I just pray you will take a deeper look into why you are choosing to work over staying at home with your children. They are only little but for a short while and time with them is far more precious than monetary gain. Regret is a bitter taste!
