Thursday, July 14, 2011

Finding a balance

Being a mom is tough.

Of course, you love your child and you love spending time with him, and your heart melts when he calls you or gives you a big smile or he is able to do something he wasn't able to the day before.

It's all so special and I would never exchange anything for this special time I have with Yuuki.

But the more fun you have with your child in the daytime, the more exhausting it is for the mom!!! I must face, I am not that young anymore.....Especially in this Tokyo summer heat, there is not one drop of energy left in me by the time Yuuki goes to sleep. I want to do so many other things when I don't have him clinging on to me, like doing the laundry, cleaning up the house, washing the dishes, taking a nice long bath, reading a book, getting some work done, writing emails, studying, cooking, catching up with friends....etc....but by the time I put Yuuki to sleep, breastfeeding him on the bed, I am often asleep with him, my boobs sticking out, and my hair still wet from the shower.

I really wonder how other mothers do it. And I only have one child.....my mom had three....! How did she ever do it??? Before I had Yuuki, I never thought of being a housewife as a job. I mean, how hard could it be? Being at home seemed so easy and fun. Now, I respect all mothers who are housewives. It's tough work, and it's endless. There is no explicit compensation to keep you motivated. (Of course your family's health and smiles are all worth it, bla bla bla) It is such a big mistake to think that being a housewife is an easy job. I know there are rewards beyond what money can bring in the long run, and please don't misunderstand, I love being a mother and I wouldn't change anything for this time as a housewife now. I am just having a major realization that being a "housewife" is a major job in and of itself, just as much as a "job" that you get paid for outside. It scares me to think I only realized this recently, and that there are so many other young women thinking that working outside is more work.