Dream Job: Motherhood

 

“Mommy, what do you want to be when you grow up?” my daughter asked, inspired by the chance to answer that question on her school yearbook page.

“I’m pretty sure I’m already grown up,” I replied. “And—I’m a mom,” I added, my mind spiraling down all the career roads not taken.

Various professions have piqued my interest over the years. As a child, I would pretend to be a teacher, writing out lessons while surrounded by stuffed animal students. I played the role of a reporter, Rita Paper, in a middle school theater production. By the time I reached high school, journalism seemed like an intriguing career option, so I wrote it on my guidance counselor’s interest survey.

In college, I loved learning through the lens and practice of journalism. Reporting on a wide range of stories for class projects, the university newspaper, and internships with local papers provided the opportunity to interact with people and topics I otherwise never would have met or learned about. I covered school safety and speed dating, legislation and haircuts, heritage festivals and online poker. Journalism was a gateway into learning about the whole world. The learning process never grew stale.

Perhaps that’s why I love being a mom so much. It provides an avenue to experience life both broadly and fully. Amidst the happy chaos of raising children, I’m able to share my passions with my kids (such as art, nature, reading, and puzzles) while discovering new interests and learning skills alongside them (like baking, Spanish, filmmaking, and guitar.)

Since I see variety as the spice of life, full-time motherhood really is the best job for me.

Don’t get me wrong–there is a lot of monotony involved in taking care of little ones. Another diaper change. Another time reading through the same picture book. Another nap. Another bath. But repetitive child rearing tasks fade to the background when you focus on their larger purpose. These regular routines may seem mundane, but they make for happy children and a smooth-running household.

Within the confines of days structured around young children, being a stay-at-home mom provides a surprising amount of flexibility and freedom to craft my time in a fulfilling way, especially for a creative spirit like myself.

Yesterday I took on the role of designer-housekeeper-gardener-storyteller. Today I am a travel agent-actor-treasurer-tutor. Tomorrow I’ll be a referee-librarian-personal shopper-nurse.

There aren’t enough years in this life to try out all these jobs–unless, of course, you’re a mom. Then you get to wear dozens of “hats” throughout your parenting career. What other vocation could satisfy my curiosity about all these professions?

I may not have the time or technique to work as a professional chef, but I can whip up delicious and healthy meals for my family. While it would be amazing to work on a Broadway production, I instead get to volunteer as a costume and set designer for the school musical. Even though the logistics of a travel writer’s job aren’t compatible with life as I know it, I can still blog about our family adventures and share travel tips with friends on the playground.

As a stay-at-home mom, I can dabble in dozens of roles without diving so deep in one area that it becomes stressful or boring.

I can explore NYC shuttling my kids to various activities, but by the time the novelty of this chauffeur job wears off, my kids will learn to take the bus or walk themselves. I get to plan parties when birthday, graduation, and wedding seasons roll around without the demands of becoming a year-round event planner. I can color and craft with my kids without the pressure an artist might feel to put her creations on display for sale or public critique. I can volunteer with the PTA to invest in my kids’ school without signing up for the boatloads of grading and tricky classroom management that comes with teaching.

Writing down this reflection has allowed me to pause from the busyness of parenthood long enough to reorient my perspective. Now, when I bemoan the thankless aspects of mothering full time and feel the allure of a paycheck, I’ll remind myself how good I already have it.

The next time someone wonders whether I'm going back to work now that my kids are in school, I know what to say: No. Mothering is my profession. If the best career match is at the intersection of my passions and skills, then I’ve already landed my dream job. 

And since my four kids aspire to be a computer programmer, singer, author, and horse farmer, my responsibilities as a mother will continue to evolve. Give me another decade or two to “grow up” alongside these little humans and I may be a tech-savvy vocal coach proofreading a picture book from the comfort of a barn! Never a dull moment in the life of a forever mom.

Happy Mother’s Day!