I know it is has been far too long since my last blog. Occasionally, something happens that sparks the idea for a blog, and then life simply gets in the way. However, this time, I found something that I'd really like to discuss.
Earlier, I got into a bit of a debate about various things, including the topic of stay at home moms. This person felt that a stay at home mom who was surviving off of her husband's money was the same as a stay at home mom who collected welfare. This person also felt that stay at home moms basically sat on their behinds all day and spent their husband's money, because, staying at home- as this person put it- really isn't that difficult. This is where we disagreed, and thus, the point of the blog.
I'll start with my opinion. Being "just" a mom is the most difficult, rewarding, and important job that a woman can have. There is nothing more important than raising future generations that will later inherit the earth. Mothers are responsible for nurturing their children, for teaching them to love, for instilling morals. I don't know about you, but as a stay at home mother, I was responsible for the laundry, the cleaning, staying up at night with the baby, shopping, running errands, dr's appointments, cooking, other various appointments, etc.
This is not to say that fathers don't play a large role in raising the children or helping out- even when I was staying at home my dear husband helped out tremendously. Additionally, this is not to say that working moms cannot raise wonderful children. I am not blind to the fact that many families need two incomes. This is why I went back to work part time. However, if a family can afford to, mother's have a divine responsibility to really take their job of motherhood seriously.
Before I go all religious on the spiritual significance of motherhood- let me just point out a couple of facts. John Carnochan, a world famous expert on violence, linked some of the issues he dealt with as a policemen to inadequate care of children under three. John Bowlby, stated that infants needed to experience a warm constant and continuous relationship with their mother in order to thrive. The attachment theory states the same thing. Child psychotherapist Robin Balbernie and David Howe stated how problems in society such as depression can also be due to poor relationship with parents as infants. The evidence is everywhere.
In my opinion, raising my child is the most important part of my life. Do I really want to trust teaching them about life to just anyone? Do I want them to learn destructive and negative behaviors without being there to intervene? Do I want them exposed to some of the evils of the world without being able to guide them appropriately? No, in short.
From a religious standpoint, motherhood plays a very large and significant role in the eternal perspective. First of all, we bring this spirit to earth in our womb, allowing he or she to have a body so that they can become Christ-like. How amazing this privilege is, and it is only the beginning! We are responsible for supporting our priesthood holders so that they may be good examples to our children. By design, we are primarily made to nurture our children.
While all of this may just be my perspective on the matter, I think it is really something to think about. Often, mothers who choose to stay home and raise their families are frowned upon. Stay at home mothers work hard to make happy, healthy, Godly, and smart children. No lazy person would make a good stay at home mother. A job as important as building up the future generations, as being responsible for a human life, as nurturing and teaching someone the way that they should behave- should be honored.
I don't know about you, but I take my job very seriously. While I must currently work a few hours a day to help out with my family, I spend much of the time fulfilling my DUTIES as a mother, and I enjoy every minute of this very difficult work.
If my primary focus in life is on raising my children, being "JUST" a mother is all I want to be.
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