Day 22 - Mama Stay Home Wif Me?

This morning -- as with every morning -- my toddler woke up and asked, "Mama stay home wif me?" She's trying to figure out if it's one of my work days or not...whether I'll be at home taking care of her for the day.

That certainly tugs at my heartstrings, for sure. Luckily, it's a stay-at-home day, so I'm not crying. But when she asks me that on my work days, I end up leaving the house with tears welling up in my eyes as she waves good-bye to me from the front room picture window.

I've said it before and I'll say it again: If you are considering entering or re-entering the work force and you have young children, don't do it. I know, you're considering all of that extra $$$$$ that you sure could use right now. But in all seriousness, by the time you pay for daycare, pay for gas, pay for your work attire and new work shoes, your meals out at restaurants because you're too tired to cook a meal when you get home, and all of your convenience foods at the supermarket (again, because you need to fix meals FAST), it isn't worth it.

You might even end up paying for a housekeeper, as I did a year or two ago, because once I reentered the work force, I couldn't keep up with my housework. And then there was the added expense of my children's school lunches because I didn't have the time to properly make their healthy lunch box lunches...and they were packing lunches that looked like they were packed by...well...a 9 year old child.

My job provides the health insurance for our family. For $15, we can visit a doctor anytime, anywhere. If we end up hospitalized...it's covered. If we need new glasses or a dental visit...covered. Retirement: covered.

But do those added benefits really make up for me placing my toddler in childcare for 9 hours every day while I go off and work? Because her caregiver is raising her...not me. Some full-time working moms, in order to justify their lifestyles, say, "Well, I'm home with my child from 5:15 p.m. until 7:30 a.m. the next morning." Which is true...in a sense. But break that up and really look at those hours, and you're spending 5:15 to, say, 8:30 with your child. Eight-thirty being their bedtime. So that's 3 hours a day with time spent together. Break that up even further, and you're cooking meals (or rushing to a restaurant), doing laundry, running errands...and that 3 hours is even more diminished.

Sad...but true.

I happen to think it's NOT worth it.

But my husband is in disagreement. He says I must. Because he enjoys our fancy Victorian home too much to downsize so I can stay at home.

Source of contention? You betcha.

Anyhow, my study today in God's word is: "Draw near to God...and He will draw near to you." That's found in James 4:8. It really doesn't apply at all to what I discussed today in my blog...but I will trust that in my search to discover God's will for my life...as I draw nearer to Him...he will draw nearer to me. His word says so.