Comadres, do you remember the good ole days when we were young and free? Well, we are still young — age is a mere concept, right?! But I don’t know about the rest of you, but being free to do whatever I want is completely foreign to me now, thanks to my full-time job as a stay-at-home mom.
Long are the days where I told myself that I’d be a working mom and be able to juggle everything.
For some reason, I looked down on being a stay-at-home. Perhaps I was afraid of turning like mi propia mama, who had no say in the household decisions at home. But then reality set in, and I became a stay-at-home mom, an experience that has changed my life forever.
Being a stay-at-home mom can be both rewarding and mentally taxing, but one thing is for sure, there are plenty of things I’ve learned during this journey.
Patience
I used to pride myself as a patient person when I had my 9-5 job, but looking back at it, that was nothing. What is having patience on the job for eight hours? Nothing. The real test comes when you have your child with you for 24 hours while having to upkeep everything at home. As someone who believes in keeping a safe and calm environment for the developmental growth of my child, I can’t engage in random bursts of anger. So, I’ve learned how to meditate, use calming breathing techniques, and other methods to deviate my frustration. I’m sure I will reap the benefits of this once my child gets older. At least I can tell that he is patient with his friends during playdates.
Vulnerability
Being a stay-at-home mom teaches you how to be okay with being vulnerable. I mean, no hay de otra. You have to feel comfortable with your emotions and learning how to deal with them is a feat in itself. But you have to! Otherwise, you will pass down unhealthy coping mechanisms to your child, which isn’t fair to you or them.
Time Management
One of my favorite things about being a stay-at-home (aside from enjoying so many moments con mi hijito lindo) is how to manage my time effectively. I can now divide my days into sections where I allocate every task in its adequate slot.
Of course, I know that the needs of a child can’t be scheduled, so I add an entire “miscellaneous” to my schedule just in case. Other than that, being a stay-at-home mom has taught me how to run a tight ship, and I don’t know why, but it is so rewarding, too.
These are just some of the many things I’ve learned as a stay-at-home mom. There are so many other lessons, but let’s leave that for another day que me toca recoger al niño. Also, remember every stay-at-home has its own experiences, and they are all valid.