We intuitively know the value of mothers. They have a profound impact on our lives. In response to the age of daycare and working moms, study after study has come out with some not-so-surprising results: kids were better off when mom was the primary caretaker.
But it's not just mom's interaction with kids that's so valuable. A homemaker's work is not exactly for the wimpy or lazy. A recent article on MSN titled "The Price of a Mom" says after taking into account all the skills and hours a woman puts into homemaking, Salary.com estimates her financial worth to be a hefty 138,095.
6 figures. Count 'em.
I know of many stay-at-home moms that get "the look" when they mention their chosen profession to others. There are many stereotypes of the stay-at-home mom including:
- They're lazy (Hey, all they have to do is hang out with the kids at home all day. How hard can it be?)
- They're wasting their talents (She was so smart in school. Why didn't she become a doctor?)
- They're less intelligent than career women. (Oh yes, well, you don't need an education to do that...)
- They're out of touch with the hard-hitting issues in today's culture. (What a lovely denim jumper!)
But underneath the conservative hair cut is apparently a brain - and one being well-used. It takes talent and creativity to:
- Cook a different and delicious meal for multiple sets of taste buds every night of the week.
- Keep a home (relatively) organized when the residents include toddlers.
- Balance the family finances, especially if the budget is based on a single income.
- Offer appropriate forms and amounts of discipline and love to multiple children, each with varying personalities and needs.
- Maintain a vibrant and healthy relationship with her husband, who is making a noteworthy number of sacrifices to provide for the family through his career.
- Throw fun and wholesome celebrations for each and every family members' milestones including birthdays, Sacraments, and graduations.
- Educate children of varying ages and abilities academically either through home schooling (you're my heroes) or maintaining in depth knowledge of children's schooling outside the home.
I really could go on...and on. Moms have to become experts in many fields. But the outcome? Indispensible, unique members of society who, thanks to their mothers' attentive care, can now have a positive impact on the world.
Suddenly, 138,095 seems pretty meager.