The Best Job for Me

If offered, would you take a position that required you to be on the job twenty-four hours a day and offered no wages or sick days? Ever since I was a little girl I knew that I wanted to have a family and stay home with my children. My daughter is the light of my life and raising her will be my greatest accomplishment. Being a mom can be one of the most demanding and exhausting jobs performed; however, it is the ideal position for me because the many rewards far outweigh the difficulties and stress. Instead of a weekly paycheck, I get paid in the form of a smile, which is the result of the wholehearted dedication I give to my daughter’s little life. As Mildred Vermont once said, “Being a full-time mother is one of the highest salaried jobs, since the payment is pure love.” One of the many benefits I get from motherhood is the sense of pride that I feel when I watch my little creation grow and learn. Children have a way of helping me to realize all of the things that I take for granted, such as watching the leaves blow in the wind or finding animal shapes in the clouds. They often view the world with amazement and marvel at new things, things that I, as an adult, might not acknowledge because I have seen them many times before. In essence my daughter has reminded me to stop and smell the roses, something that most busy, working adults forget to do. Children also help keep me up-to-date with the changing times; things like the music industry, fashion, and electronics are changing by the day. Trying to keep up with an energetic child is a good way to stay in shape, which is another benefit of motherhood. I don’t have the time to sit around and become a couch potato, when I am chasing a little one around the house. Neither do I have the time to sit and snack on those unhealthy snacks, like potato chips and cookies. Fortitude, creativity, diligence, and compassion are just some of the qualities that a mother should possess, all of which I feel that I am blessed with. Fortitude is an important quality to have because showing any sign of weakness, whether it is mental or emotional, might cause a child to take advantage of the circumstances. There are also many times that I need to show strength because my mood can affect my child’s mood. For example, showing fear when my child is hurt will only make it worse for her. On top of being in pain, she will also be scared, which is not a good situation to be in. In an instance like this, I would need show compassion and love to my child. This will help to assure her that everything will be okay. In addition, I need to be diligent in disciplining my daughter so that she grows to be a happy, confident, and successful adult. Creativity is helpful in keeping things interesting. There are many times that I have to find creative things to do to keep my child busy and out of trouble, some of which may be making Play-Doh or creating a marble painting on a rainy day. There are also many different roles that I, as a mother, take on daily. In addition to being a counselor who helps to solve many of life’s problems by being a good listener, I am also a nurse who needs to know when to call the doctor. I am my child’s first teacher who will teach beginning from birth up until and past adulthood. I will drive my child to after-school activities, doctor’s appointments and recreational activities, like the mall and the movies, requiring me to take on the role of a chauffeur. If being a nurse, teacher, and chauffer are not enough for one person to take on, I am also a maid and chef, who cleans the house, does the laundry, packs lunches, and prepares breakfast and dinner. As a mother, I am my child’s lifeline. How I raise my baby will deeply affect who she will become as an adult. It might be a mystery where this journey of motherhood will take me, but it is definitely worth the trip. I wake up to a gummy six-month-old grin every morning and think, “How lucky am I?” As I get my baby out of bed, she gives me the best kiss I could ever ask for; her huge, heartfelt, open-mouthed, slobbery kiss reminds me each and every day that I already have the best job in the world. As a mother I anticipate a future complete with a roller-coaster ride of emotions. I may not have an actual income, but I am overcompensated, on a daily basis, with all of the riches this life has to offer- pure love.