Bored

Today, I had lunch with one of my most favorite people on the face of this earth and was asked a question that I, and I'm sure many other stay-at-home mother's, get, "Are you bored?"  The other question, similar to this, is "Do you think you'll ever go back to teaching?"

My answers are simple for now, "No and No."  No to the latter mainly because the idea of having two smallish and still needy children and all that paperwork that comes with teaching English...no thank you.  If I ever go back to teaching, it won't be until my children are quite self sufficient.  People, you may not want to believe it, but teaching is a lot of work and not just the part where you are actually in the school teaching.  I'm not going to rage on about that because, well, just because.  However, the bored thing, I will talk about that for a minute.

I am in no way upset that this question was asked, I think it is a genuine curiosity for a lot of people.  And I am sure that, Steve, my lunch mate, is no stranger to questions that are asked over and over for the sake of plain and simple curiosity.  First and foremost, if I were bored why would I stay home?  I don't how working mothers do it, and I am lucky enough to be in a position that I don't have find out.  My staying home is a choice and if at any time I really wanted to go back to work, I could.

Bored, no.  Tedious, sometimes.  Exhausting, often.  it may not seem like a full time job, but there are errands to do.  Simple tasks of going to the bank and the dry cleaner; running into CVS, Target, and the always dreaded and rarely visited post office.   Things that I can do during the day, so they don't have to be done afterwork or on the weekend.  There is meal planning and food shopping.  Food negotiations, clothing negotiations, bathing negotiations, sleeping negotiations.  Story time, nap time, cleaning time, and yes, dare I do it just for myself, exercise time.

There is school drop off and pick up and after school activities and play dates.  Cleaning laundry, folding laundry, putting away laundry.  Beds to make, sheets to change, and dishes to wash.

And there is a dog.  Do other people do these things and have a paying gig.  Of course!  But I am pretty sure that if they had someone who would do it for them all day, they would take it  :).

So no, I am not bored, and if I ever become bored, you'll know because I will go an get a "real" job.