Respect?

I was informed of a particularly nasty comment that some dickhead that I know, but thankfully is not part of my life, passed about me today!!! Its quite hilarious really but also a disappointing, sad reflection of a lot of people's real attitudes towards stay at home mums. The comment went something like this (said in a public place, to a friend of mine) 'its a shame Anna doesn't work and the burden all falls on Theo.' I mean part of me thinks, what a joke, dont even worry about it and the other part thinks- F#c* that!!!!!!

As all you lovely mums know, you can never understand how unbelievably hard motherhood can be until you are in the thick of it. Being a stay at homer is something that should be encouraged if that is what the mother wants to do and RESPECTED for what it damn well is. A full time freakin job where you don't ever sign off - NOT FOR A SECOND. As someone who initially went back to work part time with a young child and then a year later committed to staying at home full time with two young children, I can tell you which has been the hardest work.

When you have young children, they require full time care. FACT. We make choices to do most of it ourselves or some of it ourselves and outsource the rest. Neither option is more valid than the other. Its a personal choice that each family/mother will make. Both choices should be respected by everyone. Why should paying someone else to look after your kids be the more honorable option.

In the last year, I starting doing some shifts in my husband's business. A personal choice for me. Its not to add to a supermum status or to get more respect. Sadly, I feel that a lot of people do respect the mother who is there for her kids but also manages to bust a gut sneaking in some 'paid' work here or there. SAD SAD SAD. It brings out the hardcore feminist in me. Mabye I will go shave my head in protest!!! 

Respect?