A Mom With a Full-Time Job

If you are a parent, congratulations! You are probably one of two things: hardworking or hardworking...same word, but two completely different meanings! Hi, I’m Anna (one of my nicknames), I’m 22 years old, I live in South LA, and I have two beautiful children, an amazing, hardworking fiancé, and I am a stay-at-home-mom (SAHM)! Being a SAHM can be either a blessing or it can be an absolute nightmare. Usually, for me, it’s both of these things all day every day.

'HOW is it a blessing?!'

Many of you are probably asking, “HOW is it a blessing?!” Allow me to explain. First off, daycare and babysitters are pricy, especially if you want to fully trust where your kiddos are kept. If you’re a SAHM, you don’t have to worry about where the kids are, if they’re okay and being treated right, nor do you have to pay the establishments/people an arm and a leg. You also don’t have to put gas in your car as often, as well as get oil changes/tire rotations as often. You can nap when your kids nap, if they ever do so. You can literally drink wine at any time during the day! That’s a HUGE bonus in my book. You get the opportunity to watch them grow older and smarter and don’t have to miss cuddle time, first steps, first words, etc. I can go on, but let’s continue to the next question...

'HOW is it a curse?!'

Many others are asking, “HOW is it a curse?!” Well... in any situation, there will be pros and cons, and this one is no exception. Where do I even start? There’s the cleaning... LOTS AND LOTS OF CLEANING. Sure, being at home gives you plenty of time to clean the house, but it is the same mess over and over again. It gets exhausting. I can have the house looking fantastic, but an hour later, it looks worse than it did when I started. By the time my fiancé comes home from work or I have company come over, I am usually right back to square one. I live in a state of defeat. There’s also the amount of food being consumed. How do a four-year-old and a one-year-old eat so darn much?! My daughter (oldest) always come to me and says, “Mommy, my tummy is so hungry.” Although her approach on the matter is absolutely adorable, I always follow by asking, “How are you hungry? You just ate a dozen pizza rolls!” Or whatever she just munched on. My son is the same way. He is a year old, a chunky little thing (never misses a meal), and he can be sitting in his high chair eating a meal... DARE I sit down with a little snack, he will start crying, outstretched arm, yelling, “BITE!” Oh the travesty. You know what? He usually wins. As I said before, I live in a state of defeat. There’s also the lack of social encounters, which would explain why I’m so pale and awkward.

Every day is old but new.

Enough with the pros and cons, there are many more of both, but everyone knows that. Every day with my kids is the same, but somehow different. My daughter is on her way to kindergarten. She started pre-k last year and we had some concerns—mainly with her speech. She didn’t answer questions very well. She mostly babbled between a few English words that we were able to distinguish and lots of baby language that we kind of familiarized ourselves with over time by observing when she would say these things. Now, she speaks SO clearly! Her teachers were so incredibly hardworking and patient with her, all while maintaining other children. They truly are a blessing to our life!

My daughter has also developed a lovely sense of nurture and compassion. I broke my wrist a week ago and she is sure to inform everyone, “My mommy’s hand hurts right here,” at which point she ACCURATELY points to her own wrist to demonstrate where I am hurting, and follows with, “so just be careful, okay?” Meanwhile, my son likes to pounce onto my cast... he means well, I promise!

Thanks for visiting!

In conclusion to my story today, no matter what day it is, no matter how your day is going, having these miniature humans in your life is always a blessing. You teach them and they teach you at the same time. Take a breath when you need, sip some wine straight from the bottle, and take time to observe your munchkins and just be a mom! Or a dad, whichever stay-at-home parent you are. I don’t discriminate.

I hope everyone has a blessed day! Thanks for visiting. ❤️