Parenting is the hardest job I will ever do. They say, “A Mother’s work is never done.” I’m realizing more and more how true that is. Not only is it physically exhausting it is emotionally exhausting. Sometimes I think I want more for my kids then they do?  And as if parenting isn’t hard enough ~ add into that a culture of judgmental, shaming parents who seem to think they have it all figured out and have nothing better to do than attack you as a person, as a mom.  Oh and by the way… when did sports become a full-time job??  When I was in school- we just played.  We didn’t have to try out, didn’t have to travel, didn’t get kicked off teams- we just played. 

Sometimes- scratch that MOST times I struggle with my life’s PURPOSE- What will my legacy be?   How can I inspire a world of women that are barely surviving most days. It got me thinking about my job every day as a MOM- “Can that be enough?”  Do we as mom’s need anymore?  What if our greatest contribution isn’t something we do but someone we raise. 

Not only are we the CEO’s of the family, we have as many different job titles as we have mismatched socks and most importantly we have the distinct pleasure of raising future spouses, dads & moms.  As summer came to an end – it was apparent that my boys had been living a pretty entitled summer.  Not entirely their fault – I think we enable some if not most of their behavior/choices.  With that in mind – operation GIT & MWM came to be!  Gentlemen in Training & Men with Manners

I think for the most part the boys embraced the operation and took pride in the contract.  Now of course if you ask them, they will deny it – but deep down they crave structure, routine and the notion that everything we teach them now is preparing them to be awesome husbands, and dads. 

The question us MOM’s must ask is are we instilling values/characteristics in them that we would want to have in a spouse? No one wants an entitled, self-centered spouse. Are we teaching them they get what they give?  Are we teaching them to do unto others as they would want to have done to them?  We not only have to be mindful of what we say but what we do… every SINGLE day. Your children have the propensity to become who you are so be who you want them to be.  Be the best version of yourself!

In thinking through all of our jobs I thought it might be a fun and an eye opening experience to list a few.. grab a glass of wine and take pride in all you do for your family.

Taxi driver

Shuttling to and from activities, sporting practices, games, school and playdates is no joke. Getting three boys in baseball..l in and out of the car should be an Olympic sport.

Chef

Seriously, I swear my boys are always eating! I try to limit the times that they can eat to one snack between meals, but some days it feels like every time I look they are in the pantry!

Finding all the recipes and ideas for what to eat is daunting and I don’t even do most of the cooking. Some days I feel like we come up with the same five ideas! I love Taco bowls, but we have to change it up every once and awhile!

 Personal Shopper

Of course, along with shopping for the groceries, someone has to make sure that they have the right seasonal gear, plenty of socks and that all the kids’ shoes fit! Thankfully Target has my back on this one! Nothing beats a one-stop place to get ALL the things you may need and maybe even some you don’t!

 Wardrobe Assistant

Luckily dressing boys is pretty easy- they are not too picky unless….they were hoping for that one sweatshirt- or that one shirt – and for some reason it didn’t get cleaned in between commuting from practice to practice, making dinner, doing baths, and making sure homework is done. Sometimes finding clothes that aren’t “too tight” or “itchy” some days seems impossible.

I also have to make sure that the sizes still fit. You would think that it wouldn’t be that hard, except no two companies size things the same! Currently none of my children wear the size they are and that doesn’t even begin to touch on the fact that I need to keep two bins constantly, one to grow into and one for clothes they have outgrown. 

Nurse

With boys, there is always something to worry about, a bruise to examine, a bug bite to question, a scrape to kiss. The list is endless. I am the administrator of the medicine, the one on hold for the on-call nurse, the late-night fever checker all wrapped into one. 

Counselor

All these new emotions, experiences, fears, and adventures call for a good listening ear to sort through all the feelings. Before becoming a parent, I didn’t realize I could ruin someone’s life by asking them to put on a sweatshirt.  It is my goal to be the type of mom in which my boys can come to me and talk to me about everything! And I mean everything …  I want to make sure that I make time to talk about the day with them. I want to listen intently to their worries and triumphs. My hope is that home is always their safe landing place. If I make them feel safe with the small stuff- my hope is that they will share with me the big stuff.  

Referee

Sibling battles amongst boys can be brutal. I fearlessly dive in and separate everyone. We listen to both sides and help them work through the struggles to come to a compromise. Some days it may feel that this is all we accomplish. We deserve whistles.

 Secretary

Whether it is extracurricular activities or just making sure everyone is staying on schedule with their well-visits, it’s my job to keep the schedule up-to-date and make sure it’s adhered to. I can only imagine as the kids get older this job will become even more of a task! 

Housekeeper

That daunting pile of laundry that never seems to go away. Yep, we do that. The floors that need scrubbing after the milk is spilled and little feet running in and out. We got it covered! All those little tasks to keep a house clean are for the most part a Mom’s job. 

Photographer

A Mom is a daily documenter. We take a lot of pictures of our kids and our lives. We want to soak it all in and remember every detail! With these photographs, we can look back and relive all the moments.  Every year we create a Shutterfly book of memories and no doubt it is there favorite book in the house- but it does not count as reading minutes. 

 Cheerleader

No one else will love your kiddos like you do! No one else will build them up and stand by their side for everything. A Mom’s job is to push them to be the best that they can be. We give them the encouragement to take risks with the security to know they have a safe place to land if they fail. 

Hairstylist

The haircuts, the tangles, the lice (uggh- there should be a special award for moms that have to take care of that)  I’ll take bragging rights – I had to do it three times in a month—what is going on???!!! 

Professional Party Planner

Baptisms, Communions, birthdays, and all the unique things that make each holiday special do not happen by themselves. Behind each great party is a Mom that has racked her brain and hours on pinterest for the best ideas. A mom who has coordinated the food and has made sure the decorations were hung just so. A mom who lost countless hours of sleep to make that day special.

 Professional Organizer

Organizing the wardrobe is one tiny aspect of the day-to-day organizational skills we possess. Everything in the house needs a place. All the projects need to be filed into what is kept and what is stored in the recycling bin. Trinkets and toys need to be stored in a way so that the house doesn’t look like it is filled with toys when we all know it really is!

But beyond the physical things that we organize, we keep a detailed list of so many important things. We know who needs what each day, is it day 1 or 6, when is library? Lunch Cold or hot? Is it band?  Who acts silly and runs around the house naked when they are overly tired? Who needs quiet time?  We can hear the signs of an all-out war miles away and have already planned out the rescue. 

I’m sure there are more “jobs” that I might be forgetting but it goes without saying that whether you work outside of the home or not – being a mom is a full time job in of itself!  Maybe we shouldn’t consider it a job- after all we signed up for it when we became parents but sometimes we need some support, acknowledgement and self – care!

We have a lot of different roles and job titles. We do it 24/7 without raises or pay, but it is hands down THE BEST JOB we will ever have! Marvel in what you have accomplished. Watch those tiny humans and be in awe of how far they have come.  Seeking purpose- look no further than your children- they become our legacy.