Just a Housewife
I often question if I am doing enough in life. Is sustaining two small humans, a dog, and maintaining a house really enough? I am not out there making a huge impact in the world, like I once strived to do. I am not studying tough philosophical questions anymore. My days are often the same, maybe with slight mess and variation.
I feel the years already seem to go by so quick. I heard when you have kids the days are long but the years are so short. This couldn’t be any truer for me. I feel like I am constantly cooking and then cleaning up the mess after the kids eat. I feel caught up on laundry after it piles up and the very next day there’s another load to do. The only money I make is when I sell our outgrown baby items.
I never really had a career. I honestly never felt like the career type. I was successful at every job I tried. But I quickly got bored. The money honestly was never enough for me. Most people think that is the only thing to strive for in life. Save enough money, buy a big enough house, have all you want, and go on really nice vacations. Don’t get me wrong, I would love a beautiful home. I love vacations. But I have never wanted to be rich. That is why staying home with my kids has always felt fulfilling to me.
The times I question if I should go back to work, is when people ask me what my plans are next. Or when my sister tells me I should really find my own source of income and not rely on my husband. There aren’t too many women I currently know that have the luxury of staying home with their kids. And many others have told me they would hate it and wouldn’t fathom staying at home.
When I have these questions, I often consider history. Throughout history, women have stayed with their children and their husbands provided the income. They were not questioned what are they doing with their lives. This was just normal. It really has only been within the last couple decades that more than two thirds of women have to work. In today’s economy, it’s almost impossible to afford life without two incomes. How sad is this.
I am not saying, if you want to work, you shouldn’t. But really, if your heart’s desire is to be the one to raise your kids every day, to be the main influence in their life, then you should be able to. I am by no means well off. My husband and I live a very modest life. We have shared a car for the last 5 years and I cannot remember the last time we went on a vacation. I mostly cook and we don’t often get to go out. I love coupons and am really good at finding good deals. We try to save all we can for a down payment on a house. Our families have been extremely generous to us over the years with gifts for our kids. And honestly, all these sacrifices are worth it to us. I wouldn’t have it any other way.
My sister lives in a huge house and has three cars. She often goes on extravagant vacations and never says no to her wants. But we have different lives. She does not have any children and gets to spend all her money on herself and husband. Her life has been about pursuing a successful career. Something that has always seemed boring to me.
There is no wrong way to find fulfillment in your life. If you want to find a career that really drives you, then do it! If you love staying home with your kids, make every attempt to do it! If you want to be a starving artist (my past dream), then try! We are given one life and should always ask ourselves, what will make us feel like we lived a life worth living? If you fail, that is okay, try again or try something else. It is okay to live many lives in the one life we are given.