Do you ever feel frustrated with society’s attitude towards moms and babies?

The world seems to be pushing babies to be mini adults. (Why can’t we let babies be babies?) and moms are expected to be 14 different things at once.

I am very happy it’s 2008 and not 1958 where the only “correct” type of mother has 3.8 kids, cleans the house, cooks a three-course dinner for her husband every night, and does it all in lipstick, immaculate hair and high heels.

It is great that we’ve progressed from only one type of mom. Modern mothers can be working moms, stay at home moms, work at home moms, then there’s stay at home dads, and everything in between.

Working moms are (deservedly) praised for managing work and home and motherhood – and much respect to you if that’s what you do.

But now it’s the stay-at-home moms (SAHMs) who are getting the flak. I’ve been asked a couple of times lately why I didn’t want to have a job. Or what interests do I have apart from my son? Like being a stay-at-home mom is somehow second-rate to moms who go to work, or jetset around the world like Madonna.

Clearly being a stay-at-home mom is a job, and much more work than many jobs that require you to get dressed and go to an office every day. It’s also the best and only job I want to have. And it’s the most interesting thing I do. Watching my son grow up, and learn new things is fascinating, rewarding, and fills me with joy every second of every day. (Let me correct that. He’s in the deliberatly-throwing-milk-on-the-carpet stage at the moment. So everything apart from that.)

There’s nothing second-rate about being a stay-at-home mom. Moms of all types – working, work at home, stay-at-home, whatever you do – are all equally loving, wonderful mothers doing the very best for their children.

Stay-at-home moms deserve just as much praise as any other type of mom, and if you’ve decided to devote this time of your life to your children and your family, you’ve made a great decision. Children are only small for such a short time, and I don’t want to waste this precious time working (even though money is tight) or doing things for me at the expense of spending time with my son (although I did give him to Daddy and spent an hour in the bath reading a book last Saturday).

I’ve found the right balance for me and my family. I hope that you have too, and perhaps if you are reading this and have been feeling pressured to do more than be a stay at home mom, take a deep breath, and think about it – what makes you happiest in all the world? Being with your children? Then ignore the pressure, and
carrying on giving your whole heart to being a stay-at-home mom.