For those of you who do not know what SAHM stands for, it means Stay At Home Mum aka Home Minister aka housewife or if you like glitter and glamour, I’d say domestic goddess.

I am currently working fulltime (but a temp) so yesterday my boss told me that there wasnt much to do and to take half day off as well as Friday (today). I was quite happy to do so coz it simply meant I had an extra long weekend although its not too good for the pay packet as I get paid hourly rates. But, nevermind….

So yesterday zipped by in a flash despite leaving office about midday coz the kids were at MILs place and today, I’ve been home all day and I’ve been reminded once again what it’s like being a SAHM.

I think there are a lot of misconceptions about the role of a SAHM. And I would not be surprised that there are simple minded people who think that SAHM just sit on their bums all day and play on the internet (or back in the day, perhaps gossip with the neighbour over teh tarik?). Hate to burst your bubble, people but being a SAHM is much, much more tiring that working 9-5 at the office, 5 days a week.

Why? In the simplest way I can explain is what my day has been since I woke up this morning : Woke up with 3 crazy kids running amok in our bedroom so had no choice and no chance to sleep in though 8am is considered a MAJOR luxury for me, almost close to winning the lottery – prepared brekkie for kids and us, and had them – while kids eating, I went to hang out the clothes I washed last night and put on another before I went out to hang out 1st batch – kids finished brekkie, turned on tv for them and sat down for 15mins to entertain Brandon who was in a lovey-dovey, cuddle me Mummy mood then started lunch – while lunch was on the stove, took 2nd batch of clothes out and got it ready to take outside to hang – lunch ready, got kids up at the table and gave them lunch – after i had mine and kids still lunching away slowly, went out to hang 2nd batch of clothes – kids finished lunch, i cleared table and piled up the plates in the sink and FINALLY found some time to sit down and sewed 3 seams on Brandon’s shirt then time for milk before naptime – got kids ready for arvo nap and chucked them into bed and HERE I AM now. It is now 4pm and I’ve been on the net for about 1/2 hr.

In 1hr or so, kids will be up and it will be time for cooking dinner part 2 – feed kids – bath kids – prep for bedtime – then its folding clothes and sewing if I can keep my eyelids open. And then tomorrow, just hit replay. Day in, day out, this is generally what a SAHM does and this is not the day of a SAHM who has school going kids! With that, you have to throw in sending and fetching them to and from school, extra curriculum activities, classes, etc….and this is what I will be doing next year – it’s a miracle how there are so many SAHM still standing! In a nutshell, SAHM are working 24/7/365 – no such thing as weekends or holidays, coz on those days, things are just twice as difficult coz got one extra person to look after! lol

While I do not deny that a working mum also has the same responsibility, if you have a partner or husband like Ted who understands that when both parents are working the housework and childcare should be generally divided, then consider yourself blessed – coz I am! I know women whose husbands do not lift a finger to help at home, instead expected to be waited on which I think is ridiculous in this day and age. For such women, my heart goes out to you – I cannot say I understand what you’re going through but I can imagine how it is like.

So the next time someone tells you, “OOooooo, you stay at home not working is it? So best la, can rest and put up your feet no need to work, just relax at home”. You have every right to box their ear and shove a boot up their bum!

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