I’ve been seeking employment again, and have been in several interviews now. I’ve learned that us SAHM’s who decide we are ready to return to the work force after years of being SAHM’s have an even greater challenge than just having the right resume’ and/or credentials. It’s like employers feel like we’ve lost our abilities or skills that we had prior to being a SAHM. I’ve learned to have even more patience and tolerance than I had prior to being at home.
Kids have a way of reminding us to enjoy the simple things in life. They also don’t judge other beings whether it’s animals or people as quickly as an adult does. If they do make a decision whether they like someone or not, it’s not based on how they look, dress, the color of their skin or any of those other details (UNLESS THEY HAVE SOMEONE TEACH THEM TO DO IT), but rather they judge whether or not they want someone in their life based solely on how they are treated by that person!! Also if a kid wants to learn how to do something or wants something done bad enough, they will literally come up with some of the strangest ways in the world to make it happen, but they do it. Trust me leave a young child to their own devices and tell them to get a toy/treat that they want badly enough out of their reach they will figure out how to get it. It may be sometimes dangerous and scary as hang to watch them do it, but they will do it.
Being a mother of three kids, leads to a life of NEVER having a dull moment. I NEVER know what they are going to do on any given day. Yes, I know their personalities and I know what they love to do the most. However, they also constantly want/need something from me. Plus I have my husband needs that need to be met, my in-laws live less than 200 feet away so that adds to my list of things that I get done in a day, and on top of that there is always laundry, dishes, cooking, cleaning, grocery shopping (which includes, coupon management, lists, taking three kids with me, and always looking for the best bargains BEFORE I leave the house) and coming up with ways to keep kids learning and growing all at the same time. I’m not a parent who does for my kids; I teach them how to do for themselves! That doesn’t include being a taxi service or doing other errands as well.
[Tweet “My big question is, Why am I being penalized because I choose to stay home with my kids?”]
I guarantee I still know how to motivate people to do things since I do it EVERYDAY ALL DAY, and I’m doing it with KIDS. Adults who are getting PAID to do a job is usually a whole lot easier to get motivated to do work than kids who get paid NOTHING (except food, shelter, clothing and all their other needs–which they aren’t old enough to appreciate yet.) I’m also still confident in my sales skills because guess what I have to sell the idea of my kids learning to do new tasks every day to them. Trust me when I say, that when a kid HAS to do school work in a certain time frame and there is only ONE way that is acceptable for them to do it, then they are going to buck doing it every inch of the way. (I learned this from homeschooling my oldest son.)
As far as my people skills, when it comes to business transactions, I’m still dealing with people in the service industry several times a week in some form or fashion. I am reminded all the time about the traits that I have that set me apart from the average person. I genuinely cared about my customers and/or employees needs and wants. If anything, I also learned how valuable the dollar can be. I’m going to do my utter best to make sure that whatever product a customer gets from us will be worth every penny they spent on it. That doesn’t just cover the products being sold, but the type of service and setting they receive.
I know the value of following up on any threats I make with my kids. Otherwise I’m just blowing smoke, and trust me the fire they create from my lack of follow up is NOT worth short changing them on proper discipline. I also was reminded that each one of my kids is different in what may work for one of them may/may not work with the other one. My oldest child I need to have a stronger type of discipline whereas, my with my youngest son all I have to do is tell him how much he disappointed me. So far, with my daughter it takes a few warnings and taps on her hands or removing her from her fun time for a few seconds for her to stop doing something.
A SAHM doesn’t just sit on her tail end all day long; in fact, there are MANY days that I have gone from before 5am until 11pm at night none stop. Since I have a baby, I never know when or if I’m going to get 8 hours of sleep. My husband ensures I get plenty of ME time because he knows it helps everyone involved. I know I’m not alone in this complaint because I’ve heard it from MANY other SAHM’s who have been trying to find work.
If you have gone through this what are some of the things that you’ve had to deal with?
