Hmmmmm.... Not that I feel I have to justify my lifestyle.... but I will humour you.
I always wanted to be home for my children. I felt it was my 'job' to raise them .... and I was lucky to be able to stay home and do just that.
Once my youngest child ('birth child') went to school I did 'work' outside the home .... I became a Teacher's Aide for Special Needs Children.
That meant I worked school hours, and was still home when my children came home from school.
During those years I also 'worked' as a Pottery Tutor part time in the evenings, and taught pottery to children in schools too. Oh, and I made and sold pottery too.
I have also had stints working in the weekends... at the Warehouse (never again!)
Since Brylee and Griffin arrived I have stayed home to raise them. Now that they are at school I have made a conscious decision to NOT 'WORK' .... as I am tired!
I have had young children at home for 31 years now.... raising 8 kids is TIRING. I feel like I deserve a rest from 'working'.
AS IF CHILD RAISING is not WORK??? And let's not forget all the housework!
Hey ANONYMOUS: what do you do???
Today I get to go to Patchwork Class, where I will continue making bags. I'm gunna be the 'Bag Lady'... lol. It's not work though.
ONWARD....
I had a lovely morning at patchwork today! I finally got to pick up my BLUE'S fabric... I've been paying it off! It cost quite a bit ... but I'm thrilled to bits to have it. I want to make myself a quilt out of it:
Been feeling super dooper tired this morning, kept yawning.... think yesterday's effort has caught up with me. Might just have a quiet, lazy afternoon....
End of Day: and I've cut out 5 more bags tonight ... oh and Levithaan... we had Roast Pork with Apple Sauce for dinner and it was DELICIOUS! Na na nah nah. nite nite.
Sheesh, I get so peeved about people wondering why I stay home and thinking I don't "work" there. Like you said, Chris, raising kids is work, taking care of your household and husband is work, and sewing bags is WORK - I should know, I do enough of it! And like you said - you don't have to justify your lifestyle to anyone!
ReplyDeleteXOXO,
Cyndi
You DO work!! Geeshh... hard these days to raise a family and if I could afford it I would DEFINITELY not be "out" working... my mum was always home for us when I was younger and I think that is the MOST important thing...and unfortunately, living in Auckland with a couple of mortgages doesn't allow that for me..
ReplyDeleteBut anyway... I work full time but BOY is my house a friggin pigsty!! I know which I would rather have...
You don't have to "justify" what you do...
Besides, if you were out all the time at work, what would we read???
Kate (kittie444@hotmail.com)
GOD I hate when those stupid questions come up... I dont freakin work OUTSIDE the home because I DONT WANT TO... I work my ass off keeping house and grandkids and everything else that comes up... I wanna know...
ReplyDeleteHOW YOU FIND THE TIME TO MAKE SUCH ADORABLE STUFF I dont have time to fart much less do awesome crafts!
love n hugs LAURA
Good call Chris! I worked out of necessity for a few of our child rearing years but I think if you don't need to, good on you for staying put.
ReplyDeleteGeez Chris you work harder than most of us.. You do the kid thing, your house is always immaculate and you make gorgeous cards, bags and ducks and casserole holders to sell.. I'm tired keeping up!! Anonymous.. what a dumb question!
ReplyDeleteSeems to me that you work pretty darn hard the majority of the time. :)
ReplyDeleteNot to mention that you don't have to justify your lifestyle to anyone.
Keeping a family together is work. That's the best answer. People don't realize how fragmented lives can become when the house is not in order, no one watches over kids doing homework assignments, families don't share meals, etc. I'm sure it's harder than any job outside the home.
ReplyDeleteI say raising 8 children is damn hard work. I got that question many times as I didn't start working until our son was a senior and our daughter a sophmore. Up until that time I stayed home and "worked". I did teach obedience classes privately to owners who had unruly dogs, and enjoyed that, and then did it through a Kennel. Those that are lucky enough to stay home with their children, are the luckiest! And the kids will have fond memories and that is my thought regarding "working"....debbie
ReplyDeleteMy wife stayed home most of the years our children grew up. I was VERY grateful that she was there, and not ME! It's too much hard work.
ReplyDeleteThanks for being "philosophical" on my blog. I like it.
You changed your hair color. I like that too.
Raising children is WORK all right! The hardest work of all. And as for the rest of it, food doesn't cook itself and the house isn't self-cleaning, mores the pity. Besides, you don't have to justify your way of life to anyone.
ReplyDeleteWOW that was a tame response !! You DO work probably more than anyone I know. You are Mum 24/7, house keeper 24/7 and now you are making and selling things.. I personally think the job you do is more important than any other job on the planet.
ReplyDeleteAgain well done you for biting your tongue.. as my response would have been a lot different.!!!
Mums who stay home are amazing and anyone who thinks otherwise has no clue !!
Chris
ReplyDeleteHonestly people amaze me, quite frankly it is none of their business. I get asked why I am not married or don't have children - not a choice I made but one that has happened. Quite frankly raising your children and grand children is more than enough, plus if you worked you wouldn't be able to sew. Kisses for Coco and Teddy. martine xxx
I get asked the same question all the time by people I know and meet. In Singapore, if you don't work, it's like you're useless. Not contributing to society. But it's kinda true, what I do making bags for sale isn't work. It's LOVE.
ReplyDeleteDon't feel you have to justify yourself. No one gives a toss what you do or don't do. I didn't work when Dobby was younger, and I was always made to feel guilty about that.
ReplyDeleteHer behavioural issues only started when I did go out to work full time. It's a tricky thing to juggle motherhood and a job. I work full time, try to be there for the child, and keep the house. It's impossible!
I think, deep down, Chris, we are all just friggin jealous :-)
Keep doing what you are doing, and no one has the right to say otherwise xx
Yea anonimous what do you do, this is num 2 by the way and i work cleanin and help running a backpackrs, 7am till bout 10pm a day.
ReplyDeleteSounds like you work all the time to me! I really admire you for all that you do, as I do everyone looking after kids and the house, plus you make all those spectacular bags and cards :)
ReplyDeleteLidian, from all the way over here in Canada
It looks like you raised some hackles here. Good job on giving such a calm answer and good job on doing so much for your family. If raising children and running a home isn't work, I don't know what is.
ReplyDeleteWell, Anonymous must be a bloke to ask a woman a stupid question like that! You ARE working - raising two more kids (and 2 cute dogs!), cleaning house, cooking, making lots of fabulous bags, cards etc to sell! You are the ultimate Domestic Goddess! No financial reward, just do it for the love!(Wish I had your enthusiasm for housework though!) WOMBAT
ReplyDeleteThose of us that are VERY lucky to work in the school hour day me 8am- 5pm when Samuel was under 5 (I looked after others children I have had 15 children come through me) then when he went to school that dwindled down to 12 !!!! then 10 and then 6 kids, and as kids got older and older now NONE but MY OWN now I work permanent part time approx 30 hours per week on some weeks 40 - 50 ( may 5 weeks of the year when times are hectic LIKE NOW!!) on VERY RARE occassions 20 hours like once or twice a year. I am available weekends holidays nights so we all "work" at WHAT works for us and our family not too mention you and Stew should be enjoying NO CHILDREN at home but that didn't happen did it.
ReplyDeleteI love the way you put "work" in quotation marks in your reply Chris. It's all about the perception of what work is and what type of work is valued by society. We all do thnings that are productive and add value to the world, and you stay at home mothers (and fathers) are making the single biggest contribution anyone could make to the world. I don't have children but my job is quite flexible in that I can to a certain extent choose my hours, location (eg in a cafe). I often get comments about the nature of the job I do and don't think a lot of people really understand that whatever work we are doing, it can take many forms, especially in the modern world. And as soon as it is unpaid work, it becomes essentially invisible.
ReplyDeleteOkay, rant over! And back to my paid but by no means more important work, which I am doing at home. With a coffee.
Now listen here Chris you slacker, (just joking) find some more activites, don't you dare even think about having an easy day, Why should you be tired? It's not as if you do anything right????
ReplyDeleteSome people missed out when they stood in line for the brain matter.
Take care and take it easy.
Love how people assume that because you are at home all the time you sit on your butt all day watching TV or reading novels or whatever. Parenting is actually a "full time" job and why should you justify yourself? I work out of necessity but I'm telling you now...the very second my mortgage is paid I'm quitting my job and going to do other things and enjoy life again. I'm guessing whoever "Anon" is is very envious of your lifestyle. Keep on doing what you are doing and NEVER feel guilty. All mums are to be applauded because they work the hardest of all. There is no "sick leave" or "annual leave" as there is for those who "work outside the home". PS I love your craft and would love to be half as creative as you are!!
ReplyDeleteHey I commend you for staying home and raising the kiddo's. If anonymous thinks it isnt work, let him/her follow you around for a while and they will find out!!
ReplyDeleteI always wanted to stay at home, but found myself a single parent when my daughter was little so I had to find a career to support us on our own. Not my choice but what I had to do...
oh I forgot to add, that I am new to your blog! hi! and I LOVE the blue fabric, I can hardly wait to see the finished product.
WTF, has anon never read your blog? your always working on something, kids, shops, home, man alive...
ReplyDeletehey hubby's Nana is unwell and has been distracted so hasn't got my NZ dollars yet, I promise to have it to you ASAP!!! DON'T sell my bag!!! :-) thanks again and sorry for the delay! xxx
I agree, raising kids is work. I love my kids, but the also drive me crazy when I have to take care of them by myself.
ReplyDeleteBTW, I think you might like my photo blog:
http://imaddy.com
I totally understand!! I have been at home for 28 years looking after kids.. and Im tired. Work.. of course you work.. What a ridiculous question? ... hey I love the blue fabric and the bag too....
ReplyDeleteYou are amazing Chris and should not have to justify yourself. You are a wonderful Mum and from what I read never stop, don't even give that person's comment another thought.
ReplyDeleteIt's all work - and it's all good!
ReplyDeleteAs are you!
Rock on! You trooper, you!
i dont think anon was being out of line...they just wanted to know why you didnt 'go out' to work i guess...they didnt say that they didnt think you worked hard at home. comments are hard to interpret sometimes, as text on the screen has no tone of voice!
ReplyDeleteHelen
Well...You just 'HIT' me and my pet peeve between the eyes! With my DH being out of work for 23 months (now employed) my own relatives have asked me or judged me for staying home!~~~ This was a decision DH and I made in 2007 after some major health and family issues~ I worked for years, and even when my children was young, and I probably shouldn't have, but I was worried about our finances~ I worked for sometimes 12 hr days 5 days a week, and was busy all weekends with kid stuff, house and hubby stuff!~ WORK! That is probably what is wrong with my health now~~~ OUCH...that one burns me~ God bless anonymous and you and your precious extended family~ My grandmother took care of me BECAUSE MY MOM Was a single mom and needed help because SHE WORKED ALL HER LIFE...WORKED UNTIL APRIL WHEN SHE DIED AT AGE 83~~~~~
ReplyDeleteI am now a retired SAHM. When anyone ever commented about my 'not'
ReplyDeleteworking and asked what I did all day I told them I sat around and looked pretty. Sheesh, there will never be anything more important in this world than kids.
Wow... Anon's comment made this Christian girl want to kick some...
ReplyDeleteYou are one of the most hardworking people I know. You are always busy doing something!!! And you make all those bags and cards to sell... What the HECK?!?!?
Dang.
Great come back! Perhaps Anon should spend a day in your shoes.
ReplyDeleteWhat??? I wouldn't mind being asked by someone who is making casual conversation in a NICE way, but not a little tiff from an anon, yk?
ReplyDeleteChris, I just love how your responded to this...you ROCK!
ReplyDelete