Now ain’t that the truth…

Today’s my birthday.  My husband keeps warning me sooner or later, I’m going to hate birthdays. After all, I’m now in my 30s.  Turned 31.  Honestly, as long as I keep getting presents, I’m cool with having birthdays.  It’s better than the alternative, right?  And hey…I’m greedy and materialistic.  I love getting presents.

This card, from my kids, made me laugh.  I made a comment last night that maybe the baby bratlet would let me sleep in for a present.  Naturally… she did not.  She still in the I want Mama and only Mama will do stage, so once she wakes up, I have to get up too.  Guess that is what happens when you nurse a baby until they are a year old.  ;o)  I did get a nap though, which isn’t a frequent thing.  I did like my nap.

Back to the card…How can a working mom get 8 hours sleep?  Divide it into 2 nights.  Man, that is so true. 

It’s weird when people ask me what I do.  I tell them that I’m a writer, or that I work at home…most people, the first thing they know about me is that I’m a mom.  If I don’t have my kids with me, it’s a little different, but it usually comes up.  (Me, talk about my rottens much?  Nah)

The common reply when people hear that I work at home, that I’m a writer, or however I phrase it depending on the situation, is…

Oh, that must be nice.  You get to spend more time with your kids.

I don’t think most of them are trying to sound condescending when they say that.  Really, I don’t.  The condescension comes after I tell them I write… gasp… romance.   I mean, come on…I gave up a career as a pediatric nurse to write smut.  That deserves condescension right?

I won’t get into the condescending people, although I could go on a diatribe.  No, this is more about the people who think writing and keeping the kids at home while you write is akin to walking and chewing gum.  I don’t think they are trying to be condescending.  I think they are just…hmmmm… misinformed.

Writing is a job.  It’s a process.  It requires some modicum of concentration.  And how many people could concentrate with the following:

Mom, I’m bored.

Mom, she took my game.

Mom, he hit me. 

Mom, she won’t play with me.

Mom, I’m hungry.

Mom, I want to go  __________ (fill the blank with swimming, bike riding, to the YMCA or a million other options)

Can you see a nurse being able to do her job with that going on?  A doctor?  A manager at the local Wendy’s or a cashier at Walmart?

Uh… no.  I guess a lot of people don’t realize that writing, just like any other profession, is a job.  It requires your focus, your concentration, and it’s hard to split it between three kids and the laptop.