This is some of what I did last Thursday:
Cleaned the kitchen
Taught Mark about graphing, the Mycenaeans, and possessives ending with -es
Studied
Prepared food
Helped Tim memorize something
Made a dessert for a work party
Stood in line at the post office
Took Mark to the library
Went shopping
Gave 2 haircuts
Hemmed a tux for Daniel
Wrote a letter
Attended a work party
Attended a parent meeting at the high school
Attended a school band and orchestra concert
At Richard’s work party that night a female engineer asked me, “What do you do?”
I replied with a smile, thinking of all I did that day, “I stay at home.”
I guess my simple answer made her worry about my self esteem, so she told me it’s the hardest job in the world to stay at home.
Being respectful of her decision to work as an engineer, knowing that not all people have the option to stay home or the desire to stay home, and not agreeing that my life is hard, I mumbled something like, “I’m not sure about that…” and changed the subject.
These conversations are exhausting. Any job would be difficult if I didn’t embrace it, but staying home is exactly what I want to do and I love it. Maybe I need to frame my answer so people didn’t feel like they need to reassure me while downplaying their own contribution to the world. 🙂
Here, here! Frame it for the person you are talking to. “I’m a domestic engineer….” To the engineers….I’d say something like: “I do a lot, I am more focusing on what I’m being and right now I’m happy to be here with you….” Lately I’ve been wondering about the Human Doings vs. Human Beings and even the question of who are you or how are you feeling are focused purely on our actions “How are you doing?” “What do you do?” I be. Can I ask people “How are you Being?” I might try at the next work function…. another feather in my cap of eccentricities. But truthfully I usually talk about essential oils… I think I will try this comment though and stop hiding behind ‘something to do.’ -it’ll be fun. SEE FUN is a state of BEING not DOING! Hah, that is why it’s so important me.