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UNBELIEVEABLE

My Mama hot button has been hit!
About a month ago I wrote about being outraged a bit upset about Linda Hirshman's claims that sahmoms live uncomplicated and largely unfullfilling lives here.
Now--- well, I'm not sure I can say what I'm thinking, after I read this article about a mother who finds her children boring. I kid you not! The article is not a hoax- this woman is for real and I am for real ashamed for her!
Most of the comments center on- "why have children if you don't want anything to do with them?" And with that I nod my head in agreement.
As to some of the "stuff" she wrote in her article [in response]- I do not find motherhood boring in the slightest. There is nothing *boring* about my DS2! In fact, I crave being a sahm and find myself upset when I have conflicts in my schedule that pull me from my children. My husband and I go on dates and occassionly we take a couple of days away from our children- just the 2 of us; but we miss them while we are gone. Truly we do. We have been places and commented on how much our children would have enjoyed this or that or the other.
Now there are aspects of motherhood that are tedious. I have never been overjoyed to change a stinky diaper. I have never done cartwheels in anticipation of potty training and have never enjoyed having my sleep interrupted by a squalling child. I admit I get a bit frazzled at having to pick up 235 legos off my floor for the 14th time in a 4 hour period and I even admit I detest dislike playing the car pool/2 sports-at-a-time game. In fact, I will no longer do the everyone-in-2-sports-at-the-same-time game and we don't *do* those 50 hyped-on-sugar kids and $25 presents parties. I do roll my eyes when my kids go thru their "I will only eat chicken nuggets and nothing else" phase.
BUT
I love reading them bedtime stories and singing our *special* song to DS2 at least 3 times more each nite. I love snuggling together with a bowl of over-buttered popcorn and watching a family movie together. I pick them up little trinkets/books when I am away from them because I know they will enjoy them. I love spending time around the campfire with them. I love watching them master a new skill and the joy they exude over it. I love the silly bouquets of half gone dandelions and weeds. And I am overly excited about our latest family adventure- homeschooling. I doubt you can homeschool if you find your children boring.
My children add joy and blessings to my life.
I can't help but think if this woman says she loves her children and shows them love but finds them boring- how does she treat her husband?
I was always told this: Children spell love- T-I-M-E. Quality time- not necessarily quanitity time. Do her children really know they are loved by their mother?
Personally, imho, I think she is trying very hard to justify her own selfishness and desire to live her own life apart from motherhood. Will her children have room in their lives for her when they are grown and she finds she missed out on so much?
This article saddened me and I still don't think I've articulated myself very well here or said all that I am thinking- as I've got all this juicing me up!
There is a huge difference between letting your children run your life and creating a real family-centered lifestyle. And I don't think she can see the forest thru the trees.
I do not think I'm a bumpkin for finding joy and contentment in being a sahm. I do not think I am wasting my education. I do not think I'm missing out on great and glorious things. Besides- I'm not here to store up treasures here on earth . . . . . . nope- I'm working hard to fill up my chest to overflowing somewhere else!

Untitled Comment

6:49 PM, 2006-Jul-27 .. Posted by GrandmaRosie

Building Godly lives by raising our children in Him is not only a duty but a privilege. Being a mother is God's best gift to the female sex. Some women just don't get it!! They will find as they age they have missed out on the best of callings.

Untitled Comment

9:22 PM, 2006-Jul-27 .. Posted by Kitty

Some people just dont know how good they have it. There are so many women who can't have children and would gladly trade places with her any day of the week.
Kitty