Full Time

I met someone new a few weeks ago, someone I'll never see again most likely, but a conversation transpired that I'd like to note.

We live in an old house and he, an older-ish gentleman, was asking about the age of the house and those kinds of things that people always ask. Next he asked if we had children.

"Yes, four. All boys." I love to say that.

"Oh! Are you a full-time Mom?"

Without even thinking I said, "Yes." Then an ever so slight hesitation when I realized what he really meant was "Do you work?" and I followed up with "And I work full-time too."

I did not take offense, as none was meant, he was merely making polite conversation. But it did get me to thinking. Why did he ask it that way? Isn't every mom a full-time mom? There are of course, those moms who are stay-at-home moms that aren't even what I'd consider full-time moms, but for the most part aren't all moms thinking of their children all day, and how the decisions they make effect their children?

I know I'm different than some moms, in that I try to be a stay-at-home kind of Mom, and work too. I don't want my "day job" to get in the way of raising my boys. They are more important than any job or career. It's hard work to try to do both. Harder than anyone knows. But my boys and husband are worth it.

I just hope I'm doing a good enough job at both that no one is shortchanged. Time will tell.