My Secret Life...

Last night I watched the first episode of the new series "The Secret Life of a Soccer Mom." (it aired about 3 weeks ago, if that tells you anything about my tv watching free time)

The show was, for lack of a better expression, LAME, but it got me thinking about why I had chosen to become a stay at home mom. I remember when I had Joshua 5 weeks prematurely, and recognizing how fragile this 5 pound baby was. I knew I could never let anyone else take care of him, and I quit my job the following week. I never regretted that decision, and would love to see more moms in this role. (In fact most of my friends are stay at home moms, which I think is a good sign of changes to come.)

This particular episode featured a mom who felt like she had missed her calling in the fashion industry, so they hooked her up with an internship with a company and hid this secret from her family for dramatic effect. By the magic of television, or maybe just because she was talented, she ended up getting a job offer from this fashion design firm. What would she do!? Drum roll please....she took the job and, of course, the whole family went balistically happy for her (but not until the editing made it look like they would be very unhappy for her, you tricky, tricky editors you).


I wanted her to turn the job down though.


After all, she cried when they showed her video of her kids at home while she was away. She said it was so much more peaceful at home, than the stress of the work place. (and for you stay at home moms out there...you know how peaceful it can be, right?!?!)


Being a stay at home mom is by far the best job I have ever had. I would make the same choices again and again with no qualms. Make no mistake, this is also the hardest, most thankless job I've had with much more contact to bodily fluids than I'd ever expected, but nothing is better than being the one person your kids know they can rely on no matter what, whenever they feel like they need it.


I started DipSticks to keep my creative juices alive, as well as to hopefully bring in some extra cash to the household to afford better things for the boys, like good schools, organic food, and a comfortable environment. I'm watching them now as I type this, and the sheer joy of seeing them laugh and play while I work can't be described.

Yes, there's always that flip side where they scream and cry, but oddly enough those memories fade away and only the good memories stay to remind you of what miracles they are.


So, no fashion job or otherwise for this stay at home mom. I'm sticking with my kids, and trying to create a company that can be scheduled around them. Hopefully I'll leave something behind that they can be proud of, but more than that I hope they always remember that feeling of mommy's arms when they needed to cuddle, or my voice when I played hide and seek with them, or the smell of fresh baked cookies on demand.


Who knows, maybe they'll bring their kids to work at DipSticks someday. Wouldn't that be cool?