Working Moms Don't Iron Tablecloths

There are many resources for stay-at-home moms.  There are reams written to justify the executive working mom.   What of the regular, middle-class working moms?  Where are the bloggers, experts and articles catering to the working moms that have to work or choose to work so that their families can have a middle-class income?

Here is what I believe: working moms don’t have time to blog or become an expert on balancing both work and family.  They are baptized in the fiery schedule of working, family, housework, meals and extracurricular activities.  I am one of those middle-class working moms.  I am terribly grateful for my husband’s sacrifice in pay for my education degree.  My degree and subsequent employment at our local public school has been the financial stability we needed over the last decade of economic depression. 

Here is a list of things I don’t do that my fraternal grandmother spent time doing:

Working Moms don’t…

1.     iron tablecloths

2.     iron sheets

3.     iron shirts or pants

4.     hand mop the kitchen floor

5.     wipe down baseboards

6.     bake homemade cookies

7.     make cupcakes for school birthday parties

8.     mend/darn socks

9.     make bread from scratch

10. homeschool their children

Working moms are happy to have a warm meal on a clean tablecloth; unironed!

Working moms are relieved that the sheets are dry by bedtime.

Working moms are masters of using a damp cloth, dryer sheet and the “dewrinkle” setting on the dryer.

Working moms use swiffers (or a damp rag and their foot).

Working moms scrub baseboards when it’s time to repaint them.

Working moms buy cookies at the grocery store in a tube of doughy yumminess.

Working moms are proud to stimulate the economy and buy cupcakes at the bakery.

Working moms can’t find the match to the holey sock anyway.

Working moms use their bread machines or visit the bakery on the way home (again).

Working moms trust the school systems to give their kids a solid education of basics.

Working moms are masters at short cuts and paring down life to its most essential. 

Working moms have good kids that are independent, confident team players.

Working moms have mad skills at work and at home.

The Backstory

Here are some basic facts about my life and perspective. Maybe you share them; maybe not...

 Personal: I am a 40-something wife, mother and special education teacher. I live in a Mid-western rural area. I am fond of saying I live “in the fishbowl” because I live, teach and attend church all in the same small community. My life is often on display.

 As a wife, I am seasoned with 16 years experience. I met my husband on a blind date and married him a little over a year later. I am a mother of two boys. God knew exactly what he was doing keeping me out of the realm of pink and frills. I love pink and frills but find myself in the land of dirt, fishing, hunting and such. I love a happy, dirty little boy that has explored and found.

 On our farm, Bluebird Meadows, we have fresh eggs, 4H projects and produce (gardens) and of course, bluebirds. I love to grow, control; I mean cultivate, things. My garden is not perfect. It is a metaphor for my life. That patch of dirt starts out ready for the sun and seeds but ends up filled with orchard grass and weeds.

 Although, I lost my two trusty steeds to old age in the last year and a half I am an avid horsewoman. I hope to regain my horse ownership status someday. I read as much as my children will let me. I keep thinking it will be a great example in behavior to read in front of them. They are not taking the quiet leadership like I imagined.

 Professional: Special education is a job for those that can see the hope in the unseen. I still see the possibilities and potential in my students. I spent my first 13 years in the local elementary school with short stints to the middle school arena part time. Now I play in the big leagues…high school. The game is the same but the rules have changed.

 Hobbies: Really?! Does a working mom really have hobbies? Why yes, they just look like work to everyone else. I have to admit I have stacks of scrapbooking materials and loads of unorganized photos saved on a plethora of different devices. Even Apple’s iCloud can’t help me! I try to fit in a good bible study once a year. Does any of that count as a hobby? Then there is the housework, maintenance on the farm and animals to feed.

 Maybe gardening is my hobby but frankly parenting is the only thing I can stick with.  Oh, but I forgot bathing piggies for Fair!  That's hobby for sure!

No More Procrastination!

I imagine myself as a blogger. But until now, I hadn’t the energy or courage to actually set a blog and enter text.  The fear of failure loomed.  The possibility of imperfection reared its ugly head and I ran for the hills.  Then there is the ever-present excuse that I am an exhausted, working mom living on 37 acres of land that is trying to reclaim itself from my vision of cultivation and manicured perfection. 

Blogging is something energetic, confident and qualified people do, right?  Being a Pinterest addict, I have visited many blogs; some good, some not so good and some beautiful.  I have seen the “face” of these blogging people.  I could do this, if I could muster the energy.

I am a lifelong learner but consider myself an “apprentice to all things, master of none.”  All these life experiences and fodder for my inner blogger and still; no blog. 

Direction. Focus.  Those are powerful words for anyone.  I needed direction for my blog.  A focus.  Oh, and a cheerleader.  I found a blogging angel in my friend and peer, Lizzy.  theteacherchick@blogspot.com  She is my mentor and cheerleader.  She believes in me when I don’t.  She leads when I am tired and she follows willingly when I have a great idea.  The following part is especially flattering. 

Liz is the mastermind behind my blog.  She helped me find my focus, which is actually a purposeful unfocused approach.  I know a little about a lot.  I am fearless when it comes to trying new things in the classroom.  I also LOVE horses, gardening and reading.

Direction: Where ever the winds blow me.

Focus:  Things that I love or want to learn.

Now I am blogging!