I feel trapped.
It’s sounds really awful to say that but it’s kind of how I feel sometimes. I’m trapped in this madness that is the “Stay At Home Mom” syndrome. My entire day revolves around the kids. 24/7. It never ends. Don’t write me with that crap about I’m a Mom, it’s what I signed up for (ha!), kids come first. It’s all bull! I had a life before the kids and I want it back! Now!
I love my girls. I do. But I also love my freedom. I love when I can just sit by myself in my quiet house and have a cup of coffee. I love when I can go out to lunch with my girlfriends. I love when I can get out for a night. Oh right…. I forgot… that rarely happens. Very rarely.
Before I had kids I had a great job. I was making good money. I went to movies. I went out to dinner. I traveled.
After I had kids my only job is being the maid (again, don’t write me with all that crap about how you love being a mother and taking care of the house… just don’t), cooking, cleaning, shopping, laundry, babysitting, driving, teaching…. you know, doing all that stuff that I hated to do BEFORE I had kids and now hate to do even more!
After I had kids I made “NO” money. None. Zip. Zilch. I’m broke, which is really a shame considering all the cooking, cleaning, shopping, laundry, babysitting, driving and teaching I do around here.
After I had kids I became very well known in the Blockbuster, Hollywood Video, Netflix and Red Box circles. We rent movies and then return them without watching them because one or more kids is always waking up and interupting at the precise moment the movie is at that “Rated R” moment. Okay, I lied. I do go to some movies. You know, the ones where if you get up 3 times to take a toddler to the bathroom you miss absolutely NOTHING!
After I had kids, we tried to go out to dinner – with them. Didn’t go over very well. Besides the bathroom breaks, fidgeting at the table, getting up to run around the table, and generally complaining that they don’t want the kids’ cups with the lids (and then proceeding to spill the grown up cups without the lids), we decided that dinner out with the kids was not really a whole lot of fun.
After I had kids, we tried to do some traveling. But like everything else in my life, it was just so much easier to STAY HOME!
So yes, I do love my kids. But I really, really want my life back. Just a little of it. Anything I can get. I’ll take an hour. Here or there. Now and then. Anybody?
You are hilarious! Nice way of saying what most moms think, but won't actually say out loud lol! I swear that my son has to check out every public bathroom! Whenever we go out to dinner, you better believe he will have to use the bathroom atleast once! I can totally relate to the great job, traveling etc. before kids – I am now a follower!
I applaud your honestly. I can TOTALLY relate to you because I am going through the same thing! I feel like at times I have really lost myself. Its hard…I can't even go out shopping or places because I just wind up running after my boys, yelling at them, watching them act like wild men, etc. I am totally with you.
Thank you for you honesty. I look forward to reading more. Check me out. http://ashandlewplus2.com
Love the refreshing honesty! We've all said it – if under our breaths.
As they say, this too shall pass. My boys are 14 and 17. There is no more Mommy, cuddle me. There is only MOM! Where is it? Alas, life with teens…
Would I trade my new-found freedom for the 24/7 role again? NO! But boy, would I love to still be number one in their universe. *sniff*
Memories of a SAHM: http://bit.ly/9Wy45Z
All the reasons you gave above are basically the reasons why I started my blog! I felt like I had totally lost my identity. As moms, we are expected to be perfect and happy all the time and to completely sacrifice our own needs, etc. I think it is normal to miss your old life…I still miss mine sometimes and my son is 4!
I here ya loud and clear! Moms are not appreciated; especially when the kids are little. I would love to tell you it gets easier but it does not. My family depends on me and I rarely get time to do the things I love either. My son is now 15 and I have started to get more time to myself but now I'm starting to worry about the time that I won’t get with him soon. A mom really can’t win!
It will get better as they get older.
You may find yourself one day, 10 years from now, sitting in front of your computer doing a blog about 'Who am I? Now that my kids are older and don't rely on me as much, how should I spend my free time?'
This is a phase that every mom goes through.