Dear POTUS,
I saw your recent speech on the news and while I would like to be surprised at the things you say, I am simply numb from all the things that have come from your time in office. I have kept fairly quiet about it because I don't like to make waves with my friends who support you but I can remain quiet no longer on this topic.
In regards to your statement that being a stay at home mother "is not a choice we want American's to make," I have to assume that you mean you don't want us to have to accept lesser wages because of our choice. I get you. I just wish you would have worded it better because that isn't how it was taken.
As for me, there is no price that can be placed on my choice to stay home. I'll never get into the work place and make the kind of money you think I ought to but let me tell you something about my job that you will never understand.
Like most mothers, I'm teaching my children to be good citizens, have good manners, learn to serve others, be God fearing, honest and hard working adults among other things. I get to do this all day long, unlike many working mothers who can only do this in the evening and on weekends. Every day when my kids leave, they are sent to school knowing that they are loved by me. I'm here to get my afternoon kindergartner off to school with a kiss and a smile and I'm here to welcome them all home after their long day. I supervise homework and chores and I'm a sounding board to the great things and/or the disappoinments of their day. I fix them a home made dinner almost every night and make sure they get to their activities whenever and wherever they may be. I help them with their church activities, I sing to them, I pray with them and I teach them to love others ALL DAY LONG. I am doing a job that a day care provider could never do well as I can. I'm doing a job that only I can do best for my own children.
I'm not ashamed that my kids wear second hand clothes, that we go out to eat as an entire family maybe twice a year and our family vacations are usually spent visiting family or sleeping in our camper trailer out in the woods. I am able to attend almost every single orchestra concert, football, volleyball or basketball game. I volunteer at their schools and at church. I'm with my kids at the cross roads of their day and their lives. My work is immeasurable in dollars because I'm raising the future. I'm raising the children that will one day be in charge of our government, businesses and future families.
I understand that for some there is no choice to stay home, they must work to support their family. For those that wish they could be home, I am so sorry. For those who choose to work, that is your choice and you are the only one who can make that choice. To all those moms, I know you are doing your best and I am in awe of some of you because staying at home for me is a full time job and I don't know how you do it. I can't blame you for fast food meals or for not being able to attend your child's events. I can't blame you for not allowing your children to play sports or learn an instrument because you can't support them with rides or watch them participate. I'm just sorry that our society has placed such an importance on women working that it has forgotten that being at home with your children is a job worth so much more than the value our society has given it.
Mr. President, please don't insult my role as a stay home mother. If we put more of a priority on stay at home mothers I think our country would be stronger for it. In fact, how about instead of spending all that money on preschools, consider pooling all the money together and do something to benefit the stay at home moms who you feel are so underpaid. That might be something.
Sincerely,
Stacy Johnson
Stay at home mom for 22 years
In regards to your statement that being a stay at home mother "is not a choice we want American's to make," I have to assume that you mean you don't want us to have to accept lesser wages because of our choice. I get you. I just wish you would have worded it better because that isn't how it was taken.
As for me, there is no price that can be placed on my choice to stay home. I'll never get into the work place and make the kind of money you think I ought to but let me tell you something about my job that you will never understand.
Like most mothers, I'm teaching my children to be good citizens, have good manners, learn to serve others, be God fearing, honest and hard working adults among other things. I get to do this all day long, unlike many working mothers who can only do this in the evening and on weekends. Every day when my kids leave, they are sent to school knowing that they are loved by me. I'm here to get my afternoon kindergartner off to school with a kiss and a smile and I'm here to welcome them all home after their long day. I supervise homework and chores and I'm a sounding board to the great things and/or the disappoinments of their day. I fix them a home made dinner almost every night and make sure they get to their activities whenever and wherever they may be. I help them with their church activities, I sing to them, I pray with them and I teach them to love others ALL DAY LONG. I am doing a job that a day care provider could never do well as I can. I'm doing a job that only I can do best for my own children.
I'm not ashamed that my kids wear second hand clothes, that we go out to eat as an entire family maybe twice a year and our family vacations are usually spent visiting family or sleeping in our camper trailer out in the woods. I am able to attend almost every single orchestra concert, football, volleyball or basketball game. I volunteer at their schools and at church. I'm with my kids at the cross roads of their day and their lives. My work is immeasurable in dollars because I'm raising the future. I'm raising the children that will one day be in charge of our government, businesses and future families.
I understand that for some there is no choice to stay home, they must work to support their family. For those that wish they could be home, I am so sorry. For those who choose to work, that is your choice and you are the only one who can make that choice. To all those moms, I know you are doing your best and I am in awe of some of you because staying at home for me is a full time job and I don't know how you do it. I can't blame you for fast food meals or for not being able to attend your child's events. I can't blame you for not allowing your children to play sports or learn an instrument because you can't support them with rides or watch them participate. I'm just sorry that our society has placed such an importance on women working that it has forgotten that being at home with your children is a job worth so much more than the value our society has given it.
Mr. President, please don't insult my role as a stay home mother. If we put more of a priority on stay at home mothers I think our country would be stronger for it. In fact, how about instead of spending all that money on preschools, consider pooling all the money together and do something to benefit the stay at home moms who you feel are so underpaid. That might be something.
Sincerely,
Stacy Johnson
Stay at home mom for 22 years
completely agree, and made a post similar to this, but mine was not so eloquently put....Just wish it really made it to him, to read, how we feel
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