There is a memory that has stuck by me since I was a kindergartener. My class had this cute project called Star Student that 'honored' one of us for a week and it was the one thing that everyone looked forward to every week. My teacher gave us a poster that ranged from our dislikes to our likes, what our family looked like, and what we wanted to do in the future.
I remember working on the poster with my mom, pointing at a ballerina and dog (because I wanted to be nothing more than a veterinarian ballerina), but the moment I laid my eyes on the Hello Kitty purse, I knew one thing and one thing only.
I wanted to be a mom.
Looking back, I do not remember what my mom's reaction was when I told her I wanted to be a mom. I wonder what her reaction was and I am sure that we would both share a laugh once she does. That also makes me think of what my mom has done for me in the past.
From driving me to my friend's house to cooking dinner for me while juggling other responsibilities, I know one thing and one thing only.
Being a mom is a job.
And here are the reasons why.
1. They clean and organize...only to have everything turn into a mess again.
Admit it.
There was one time (or multiple times) when your mom cleaned something or organized something and in no time at all, everything was out of order. The toys that were once in the toy box are now all over the house and the drawers with the pens and pencils are now on the floor because that one pencil wasn't sharp enough or the pen was almost dry.
It never ends!
Moms organize everyday and want nothing more than to remind their children to put everything back like it was in the first place.
Yet it never happens.
Just like an employee in a department store.
They spend endless hours making sure that everything is in the right place. They fold shirts carefully, put shoes into their respectful boxes, and face many other responsibilities.
That explains why they're irritated when they find a shirt in the candy aisle or a dog toy in the clothes area.
It also explains why children are reprimanded by their mothers when they move their toys into a section of house that their mom cleaned for five hours straight.
Moms and employees organize to make the house or store look good and have the right to get upset when something is not in the right place.
Respect them.
They work harder than you think.
2. They give you food...so don't get mad when they give you the wrong food.
There are horror stories of people getting angry at fast food employees for messing up their order. Sure, you could tell them that they forgot to give you something or that they gave you the wrong order, but you have no right to yell at them.
These people work in a sweaty and greasy kitchen, their hours endless as they try to fulfill their customers' needs. There are going to be moments when they do mess up an order so remember one thing...
DO NOT YELL AT THEM!
Tell them nicely.
This also applies to moms.
I'm going to be honest and say that there have been moments when I didn't want to eat what my mom cooked that night, but I remember one rule she had and still has to this very day.
"You either this or not eat at all. That, or you could cook something yourself."
I almost always ate everything my family had for dinner from that day on and, if I didn't want what we were having that night, I cooked for myself.
There are also stories about children getting angry at their moms for cooking a particular meal one night. They get angry at their mom and refuse to eat what is in front of them. They would rather have ice cream or some sugary snack than some meal that their mom put together.
Moms slave over a stove and oven only to have their children decline their food. It's sad.
Cooking is a hard job to do and while food from fast food restaurants are greasy and should not be considered 'real food,' they still deserve respect.
Homemade meals are the best and I miss them everyday. I wish that I respected my mom's food more as a child. She deserved better.
Respect the food your mom or the fast food employees give you.
Who knows?
Maybe that cheeseburger with onions is better than you expected and ice cream isn't always the best thing to have for dinner.
And finally...
3. Moms are judged constantly...for just doing their job.
This is an issue that has been on the Internet for years. Moms always call other moms out for something that they deem as 'right parenting' and it's sad. Many moms are the center of criticism when it comes to parenting and it's just absolutely heart-wrenching to see.
Unless you abuse your child or humiliate them to prove your point, there is no right way of parenting.
You spank your children?
Okay, not my business.
You don't spank your children?
Cool. Yet again, not my business.
Your child has an allowance?
Nice. Remind them to save it for something that is important, but it's not my business on how they spend it.
You don't believe that children should not have an allowance?
Awesome, my mom is the same. I worked around the house, but why should I get money for it? Chores are chores. Not my business though.
Even though employees do not spank their customers or give the allowances, we all know one thing.
You guessed it...
How they do their job is not a free ticket to telling them how they should do their job.
Sure, they might work differently from their fellow co-workers, but that is their business.
Not yours.
Nada.
Do not share your opinion on how somebody should work.
How you work is your own business and how someone works is their own business.
Parenting and working are similar to these types of situations and it's sad when people judge them when they do not know the reason why they do things they way they do.
Yes, being a mom is a job.
Moms have to deal with endless jobs everyday yet they do not receive the respect they deserve.
Just like employees.
Both moms and employees deserve better.
If I could give five-year old me a pat on the back, I would. She knew right away that being a mom is a job.
Thank you to all those moms out there. You deserve more.
