More Thoughts on Work Mom vs. Home Mom

Yesterday I wrote about Work Mom vs. Stay-at-Home Mom and the things I encounter at home with the kiddos I never had to face in the professional environment when I left the house and went to work every day.

 

It was fun. I liked it – and it seems many of you did, too! (So, aw shucks, thanks!)

 

Today I thought I’d mention a few things I don’t find at home I used to deal with in the workplace… just to keep things even and such!

 

10 Comparisons Between Home Mom and Working Mom

 

1. Job Security. Organizations have the loyalty of say, a polar bear engaging in filial cannibalism. Which is to say most organizations eat you up and poop you out with little concern because you are replaceable. My children, beside the obvious fact their mouths aren’t big enough to seriously do me damage, will be with me until death do us part.

 

2. Pension. The pension plan of a large family is better than the pension plan of a workplace. That’s why we’ve multiplied so many times. When we’re old and gray our children will make sure we don’t live in a box down by the river.

 

3. Evaluations. I don’t have to worry about performance reviews and productivity tied to a raise. Because, well, I no longer have performance reviews or raises. Truthfully, being forced to clarify our needs versus wants has really paid off in the value system of our family and I don’t take on extra projects for professional brownie points or to be a team player. I can say, “No.” And that’s liberating.

 

4. Dress Code. Sweat pants and slippers. Corporate attire for the home. Frowned upon in the workplace.

 

5. Co-Workers. There are no emergency staff meetings. There are no committees. I never have to listen to the drama around the water cooler or get involved in organizational politics. Flip side, I also have no one with whom I can dissect episodes of The Bachelor. Ah. Life’s a trade-off.

 

6. Continuing Education. The education I do now is relevant. I have become an expert in culinary arts, animal husbandry, pediatrics, organizational mechanics and gastrointestinal gambles. I now know whether hamsters are nocturnal or diurnal and what will happen if you drink blue Kool-Aid. This might not change the course of the world but it does make me a killer Trivial Pursuit partner.

 

7. Touchy-Feely. If I gave my work colleagues a long hug for comfort I might get sued for sexual harassment. If I give my kids a long hug I invest in an emotional bank account with extraordinary dividends.

 

8. Manipulation. I get to study human nature at its most basic level. Watching my children negotiate life gives me insight into why the boss acts the way they do and helps me see 250 lbs. football players as people instead of slightly scary hulks. In the workplace I am more concerned with getting the job done than understanding the motivations behind production.

 

9. Productivity. My efficiency has improved dramatically since staying at home with the kiddos. My multi-tasking abilities have grown by leaps and bounds. My prioritizing skills are superb. My emergency assessments are strong. When I enter the formal workforce again I will be a much stronger candidate and performer because of this on the job training.

 

10. Enjoyment. This life is better than an episode of The Office because the sarcasm is replaced by true joy. Nowadays I laugh a lot. Granted, I loved my workplace and I enjoyed the witty repartee of my colleagues. But my kids surprise me with laughter more. They’re funny, they’re surprising, and they add a level of satisfaction to my life I can’t explain.

 

What are some of the things you appreciate about being home rather than headed to outside employment? Also, feel free to subscribe to this blog… the buttons right there at the top of the page and you’d never miss a thing. What bliss!