Bon bons and soap operas

I remember like it was yesterday the first work party I went to with my husband. We had maybe been married a year but when you attend things like this where you don't know anyone it is common to ask generic questions...you know like "what do you do for a living?" WOW what a question! It seems so simple and obvious but for the first time I had to think about. What is my job? Am I a stay at home mom? Am I a part time working mother who runs a scrapbook store but really only "works" 4 days a week outside of the home? I don't know! What do I say? My simple response and his seemingly simple answer would change my life..."I stay at home with my child." "Oh you're just a mom. Well that's wonderful. I wish I could spend all day at home eating bon bons and watching soap operas." Spend all day at home doing what? Um that's not how I would describe my average day.

I guess the part that frustrates me the most about my memory of that moment is that I didn't do something else. My initial response was shock honestly but I wish I would have validated what I did...not that that jerk off would care anyway...not the point though.

So, why is it that people think mothers just sit at home? Is it our fault that people think we eat bon bons all day and watch soap operas?

I can't decide honestly if I contribute to this nonsense or try and debunk it. As a stay at home mother (maybe by choice, partially by fear of doing anything else at this point) I find that my job is not one that is respected. I just can't decide if stay at home moms have made that ridiculous stereotype or if it is something society perpetuates.

As hard as it is for me to admit, I know there have been times when asked that I have said "I am just a mom." In my soul I know I don't believe that, but I tell myself that the "real" answer to the question of what I do for a living is too difficult to say. The truth...I honestly believe that the real reason I don't tell people what I actually do all day long is because I don't want  people thinking I am just trying to come up with things to make it sound like I don't sit around and eat bon bons and watch soap operas. But this is my issue and my problem that I put on other people...thus the same circular issue...is it me who perpetuates the lie or is it society?

I guess the answer to me is a little bit of both. People have no idea what mothers do all day long unless they have been in our shoes so they should shut the hell up about it. As far as mothers go, we need to learn to be more confident in the work we do whether we get paid for it or not.

As for me, I guess it's time I learn to be ok with saying, "I stay at home with my children. I am the PTA President at their elementary school. I manage dozens if not nearly 100 volunteers in the 3 nationwide non-profit organizations I volunteer for. I am currently writing 3 books. I have my own blog. I manage a household of 5 people and do it pretty damn well. What do you do for a living?"