Person A: So what line of work are you in ?
Person B: Actually, I'm a stay at home parent.
( Uncomfortable silence )
Person A: Oh ...... Uh, that's...um.......something.
Person B: Well, with my spouse traveling so much for work, it works out pretty good.
Person A: ......That's good......uh
Person A: I suppose staying at home with the kids is......sort of a....uh.....job.
Person B: Yeah it is.
( True Story )
This is an actual conversation I had with someone this weekend. Now it's not the first time I've had this conversation before but this particular one just really got to me. I mean when did being a stay at home parent make me a freaking pariah? I am tired of apologizing to people for wanting to actually raise my own children. Last time I checked my kids were not some kind of accessory to go with my new car.
I understand the need for two income households these days, I really do. Up until a couple years ago that was how my family did it, but eventually we decided for me to stay home ( most of my paycheck went to paying for daycare, so someone else could raise my kids ). What I don't understand is why I am looked down upon, like some kind of lesser being, for CHOOSING to stay home. I work my ass off for my family, I don't need flak from some D-bag who spends 20 hours a day only caring about himself and his career path. Who only brings his kids out of storage for holidays and company photo ops.
Yes I am a little sensitive about this. You have to understand that I wanted a family. I wanted my kids to know who I was and that they weren't just for show. I was, like a lot of us raised in the 70's and 80's, a latchkey kid. I didn't have a traditional type upbringing and because of that I didn't have a very tight family unit. I promised myself that I wouldn't do that to my own family and I haven't. Look, just because I chose to put my career on hold so I could take some time to raise my kids, doesn't make me lazy or a some kind of loser. I actually had someone in my own family go on about the fact that stay at homes just sat around baking bread and watching their stories all day and even though this was an incredibly offensive statement, a lot of people believe it to be true and I am tired of being branded a loser for it. I won't put up with it anymore.
If I do it differently than you that's my right. If you don't agree, well I really don't give a crap, because I am done apologizing for it. Next time you tell me that being a stay at home parent is "sort of a job", be prepared for me to put my foot in your ass.
