The other day my oldest daughter living at home, asked me the question that all stay-at-home mothers dread. I could feel it coming.
We had just sat down to have our weekly "family chat" to make sure that things are ok with our kids, their school, their friends, their feelings, etc. My turn had ended and Jacob asked me if I had anything important going on this week. I lit up and said, "YES, I'm getting my hair done, finally!" I could tell that this was something so NOT important to anyone else and that MY excitement for this occasion was definitely not releasing dopamine in anyone else's brain. After a moment of awkward silence, my daughter said, in a somewhat know-it-all tone, "What do you do all day?"
WHOA! Was obviously my first thought, but I took the offensive side and started to think of all the things that I had done that day, rattled them off to her and then said in a cheery, upbeat tone, as if I hadn't been offended, "And now I am here having a chat with you guys, so ya, that's what I do all day." I felt liberated! I had a complete breath of fresh air as I rattled off the errands, housework, yard work, car rides and phone calls, that I get done throughout the day.
Today, as I thought about that morbid question that she asked me, I have a very different feeling. I would like to tell my sweet daughter a little something.
Let me tell you a little something about what I do with my sweet time.
Today, I picked up part of a package, that you left on the counter, from breakfast.
Today, I picked up your shoes.
Today, I wiped up the counter from your breakfast mess.
Today, I swept the floor in the kitchen under the counter where you ate dinner last night.
Today, I put away your lunch box, that you left out on my counter.
Today, I put away your mug, that you left on my counter.
Today, I put your shoes back in the mud room.
Today, I put away the Wii remote controls, that were strewn all over my sofas.
Today, I put your bowl in the dishwasher for you.
Today, I moved your clothes out of the dryer, so I could dry mine.
So, as I watch the minute hand swing around and around the clocks, as I watch my sweet hours go by day by day, I often do wonder, "What DO I do all day?" I now have a very vivid picture of what I do on a daily basis. To my sweet daughter who begs the question.... whether it be out of curiosity, or out of jealousy. Might I ask you to someday read this little article. This isn't to rub anything in. This is only an earthly reminder to me, that I still get to clean up after you, for a bit longer and that I love it! It just might be a tiny glimpse into the future for you, that someday you will be in my shoes, running around doing all the things that I am now doing. Hopefully, one day you just might have someone ask you, "What do you do all day?" Then and only then, I hope you say to yourself, "I'm not quite sure, but I am sure that I love my kids more than anything in the world, and I LOVE what I do all day!"
