Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Another Reason I Hate Working Outside the Home

Alyssa's school as having track and field day today. Her old school didn't do this.

My school always did this and I loved it. It was an excuse to get out of the classroom, to go outside and run and play.

Parents were invited to go and watch their kids participate in this event.

I told Alyssa I'd try to be there.

But today is the last day of the month, which means that work is busier than ever. Which means that I'd have needed to be finished with my work by noon.

It could have happened. If the stars had aligned, if our UPS driver had been on time. If there hadn't been twice as many boxes as usual delivered.

If our accounting department hadn't take over our data entry system for over an hour between 11 and noon.

But what it really comes down to is...if I didn't have to work in the first place, I could have been there.

But I wasn't. And that makes me sad. I wanted to be there. She wanted me to be there. Instead, I was away from both her and Olivia, working, making money to pay our mortgage, providing insurance, blah blah blah.

We all know the reasons we have to work. It's nothing new.

Once upon a time, Tom and I were watching some news show special about a couple whose son had been injured in the line of duty. He'd come home with a severe head injury and several other medical issues. They both quit their jobs to look after him.

Tom and I looked at each other, confused. Both? Seriously? Why?

And during the course of the show, it was told that this couple and their son were now in financial ruin. They were on the verge of losing their house, they didn't have insurance. They were looking for help to support themselves and their son.

My response was, "If they hadn't BOTH quit their jobs, they wouldn't be in this mess." Because honestly, why did both of them need to quit?

The new commentator said that their son needed round the clock care. But really? Come on, you know he had to sleep at some point. And if one of them had continued to work, they'd have insurance, they could hire a night nurse, whatever.

So while I'd LOVE to be at home with my girls, I can't. We have a house to pay for, food to buy, children (and selves) to insure.

And I'll be honest, it pisses me off that others don't feel this sense of responsibility. That others expect the government to take care of them when they CHOSE to quit jobs. I know, the reason was honorable. But in the end, are they really taking care of their son or even themselves?

So I missed track and field day. Big deal, right? She'll have more and I can plan better in the future and attend. But she'll never have a FIRST track and field day. And the coming years aren't really guaranteed to us, are they?

The life of the mother who works outside the home is one of sacrifice. I knew this when I chose to have children knowing I'd have to continue working.

So I'll stop bitching and go hug my daughters, whom I don't see nearly enough of day in and day out.

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