Labor Day for Mothers

In the spirit of Labor Day, I attempted to do as little work as possible yesterday.  Unfortunately, the only way to slack for a day is to double up my work on Sunday or Tuesday.  Since we were out at the cabin for the weekend, postponing work wasn’t an option.  Instead, we did our normal close up cleaning and packing on Sunday night.  That little bit of invested time made for a fantastically lazy Monday morning.  Leaving me wondering, “why don’t I have a rest day every week?”.  I do realize that this is what Sundays are supposed to be for.  But, does anyone still use Sunday as a day of rest?  Maybe someone should.  Maybe that someone should be me.

I have never really paid much attention to Labor Day in the past.  It has always been more of a bitter sweet end of summer weekend than a day of significance.  Yesterday, as I tried to give myself a break from my daily work, I began to think about my career.  As many full time mothers, I always consider myself unemployed.  In fact, when I am required to fill out a form with a space for occupation, I usually write “N/A”.  I now realize how horribly belittling that is. 

The truth is, my jobs and career path have changed often.  Sometimes by the job I actually do, and sometimes just in my head.  While I stopped receiving a paycheck long ago, I never stopped working.  The tricky thing about this career change is the stigma that it comes with.  It is a risky cross over.  Like abandoning accounting to raise lamas for 10 years, once you have made the switch, it is hard to be welcomed back.  You have been self branded and boxed.

I won’t go on and on with the usual clichés about motherhood.  Yes, it is often a thankless job.  Yes, it is the toughest job you’ll ever have.  Yes, you can add up all of the various  “jobs” that a woman typically preforms in a year and come up with the gigantic salary that she is entitled.   All of those points are valid.  But, I find it upsetting that I, and many other women in my position feel the need to be validated. 

I am more than a mother and I am more then a homemaker, a wife and a domestic coordinator.  While this position leaves me open to the freedom to explore many of my passions and hobbies, it does not allow for me to take another full time career (without some serious outsourcing).  My work does not fit into the parameters of a traditional career path.  Like clergy, an artist, or a social worker, you cannot work for money or even a tangible reward.  It is a job of service.  The rewards are sometimes numerous and powerful.  Sometimes they are subtle and easily overlooked.  Many won’t be seen for years, and years to come.  It is, however, a career.

Do you take Sunday as a day of rest from responsibilities?  Do you See your job as mother or homemaker as a career?