Are stay-at-home moms lazy?

The question of the day is this:  Are stay-at-home moms lazy?  This was a discussion on the show "Anderson" a few weeks ago.   I didnt know if I should really sit down and watch it or not.  Being a SAHM (stay-at-home mom), it may have been a real reality check for me.   If you were to ask any working person, I am sure to some degree they would all answer "yes".  I mean seriously, Bryan would probably agree as well ~ half way being serious and half way not (at least I would hope)! 

I admit staying at home, I do have my "lazy days".  The days when everything seems like such a chore to do and no motivation whatsoever.  I feel everyone is entitled to those days (umm...Saturdays)! But, I also feel I do - do alot around here, I just never see a real paycheck.  ok, ok, some of you may say I do get paid because Bryan brings home a check ~ YES, i do get paid that way, but I do not bring home a paycheck to HELP contribute to the household bills.

I worked full time since I was 18.  I worked full time during my pregnancy with Austin and after I had him ~ 6 weeks later, I was back working full time.  When I was pregnant with Emily, again, I worked full time during the entire pregnancy.  After I had her though, I quit.  When she was three months old, I went back to work (for the same company) but closer to home and part time.  

I did enjoy working and to some degree I do miss it (shhh! dont tell Bryan)!  I do miss the feeling of contributing to the household bills, I do miss feeling "important" as an office manager, I do  miss having conversations with adults every day BUT I also dont miss the expense for work clothes, gas, and now I would have the expense of child care. I dont miss having employees literally yelling at me because something was messed up in their paycheck, because something was done differently, because something wasnt done that could wait until the next week!  I dont miss seeing mouse poop around in a storage area either!  I dont miss the pressure of making sure my week was finished early so my boss could sign off on things and then me getting blamed because he didnt sign off and fax the info. in on time. I dont miss quickly making dinner for my family before leaving for work (i worked afternoons) and not eating dinner with them.  I dont miss hearing how Bryan and the kids went and did somethings and I always felt I missed out on them.  I dont miss all that stuff for one minute! My time now, is spent as having, in my opinion, the most important job ~ a full time mom!

When I worked full time, my nights were spent coming up with something for dinner on my 30-60 minute drive home (depending on the company i was working for at the time), or deciding where we were going to eat out at (we dont eat out as much now as when I was working full time).  My days off or weekends were spent cleaning the house or grocery shopping.  My family time was limited.  I feel not working, I can get most of that stuff done during the day (even if it takes me 3 hours with Ben when I go grocery shopping)!  We save money by not having day care or me buying work clothes!  I am able to go on field trips with Emily or take Ben to pre-school (in september, tear...tear)!  I am able to do these things that I wasnt able to do with Austin or at least not as much with him!  I would have a hard time working though and constantly asking for time off for doctor appoints with Emily or dentist appoints with the kids.   The Lord  has blessed us so that when I was laid off in 2007, I havent gone back to work.  I feel blessed that we are making it and that I am able to be there for Emily when she gets home from school, that I can be there for all of Ben's "firsts" in his life, that I can be a hands on mom every minute.

I give so much credit to all the working moms!  I know how hard it is!  I have been there and I have done that.   Do I feel stay-at-home moms are lazy?  NO!  

I think that old tv show "Married with Children" and the mom on the show "Peg Bundy" gave all SAHM's a bad name!  She stayed home, watched her soaps, sat on the sofa and ate Bon-bons!  I watch one show in the mornings (sometimes) and thats a show that I dvr'd from the night before and then there is no tv  for me (a show I would watch) until around 8 or 9 at night!  My kids and Bryan are my priority and the fact that I have been given such an amazing gift to be a SAHM ~ it is something I try not to take for granted or lightly!

SAHM's really arent as lazy as what they are made out to be! I do feel this is obviously a matter of opinion and since I have been on both sides of the fence ~ I honestly love this side better!