I was wrong, and I admit it.
Years ago, when I was a mostly stay-at-home mom, working part-time, I admit to sometimes sitting in my Ivory Tower and judging other women who were working full-time but who didn’t participate in extracurricular women’s functions. Things like neighborhood groups, book clubs, and womens’ circles were often dropped by these women for reasons I couldn’t understand.
As I’m now in my fifth full-time year at Stevenson, I have a completely different view of the full-time working woman.
And what I think is this: They’re amazing.
Making the turkey on Thanksgiving.
It takes a certain amount of skill to juggle the demands of today’s society on women. Yes, some men have become more involved in their children’s and family’s lives. Some have even become more helpful in ways. But the truth of the matter is, it’s still women who are driving the car, shopping and planning meals, shopping and responding to birthday parties, decorating the house, paying the bills, organizing the garage, driving the children to activities, helping with homework, making the lunches, planning the Christmas parties, running to doctor’s appointments, and scheduling nights out in the name of having a good marriage—all while they do another important thing: they work full-time.
I’m one of those frantic moms these days, especially with the holidays quickly approaching. I’m not the most organized person in the world, but I do my best to stay afloat. My husband yells at me daily to get my calendar organized on my iPhone. My mother calls weeks in advance to put things “on the calendar.” My friends probably cracked up while I planned and then rescheduled, and then rescheduled again, a date for a party on my calendar. I’m trying, honestly, I am, but it’s not the easiest thing to do, because while you’re making one list, another one is quickly growing.
I’m not complaining. I wouldn’t trade my career, my part-time writing life, the activites we’re involved in, or the hectic, chaos that ensues every day for another sort of life.
It’s not that at all.
It’s just that I appreciate the full-time working mom more than I ever have.
Here’s to you. Cheers! And best of luck as we make it through the holiday season together.
I have to go make the lunches now.
