Any stay at home mothers out there who ARE fulfilled?

[mass4life]

Staying home with my children is the best and easiest way for God to make me a saint.

Curbing my irresponsible and lazy behavior, fighting sloth, being faithful to my prayers, explaining to my children about Mother Mary and Jesus, the Mass…these just wouldn’t happen if it weren’t for their wonderful little selves.

It wasn’t until they were born I understood the passage in the Bible, “Through motherhood women will be saved.”

 

[sparkle]

DJgang:

What a lovely story!

I can say that my experience is the opposite. My mother was a hairdresser. She worked until 5:30 everynight, so did my dad. Guess how my time was after school? Letting myself in the front door and trying to keep my little brother inside and out of trouble. “Latch key kid”, that’s what I was.
So, my experience, I do not want my children to have. That’s why I stay at home.

Well Praise God DJgang! That you have discovered what you want for your family. I’m sure your parents, as all ours did, the best they could of course, and they made you didn’t they? Such an awesome follower of Jesus Christ? But isn’t it wonderful that we can contribute to making and creating the Catholic kids of tomorrow through our actions and choices today? I think so, and it thrills me so much!

God Bless ~~

 

[contemplative]

StephanieC:

Yes; Amen! Although, as a mama of a 9-month old, putting my head on the pillow at night is never a guarantee that the day is really brought to an end or completed–there’s always the likelihood that I’ll be “ful-filling” his little belly at some point before the morning!

Oh! This makes me laugh. I know! I went from 2am milk parties to 2am yogurt parties. It was a very long time before mine slept through the night. Oh I loved those times. Yes, I actually called them parties…they woke up…they were hungry yet happy…they ate…and went back to sleep…and so did I.

Now it takes nearly a bulldozer to get them out of bed.

 

[DJgang]

sparkle:

Well Praise God DJgang! That you have discovered what you want for your family. I’m sure your parents, as all ours did, the best they could of course, and they made you didn’t they? Such an awesome follower of Jesus Christ? But isn’t it wonderful that we can contribute to making and creating the Catholic kids of tomorrow through our actions and choices today? I think so, and it thrills me so much!

God Bless ~~

Dear Sparkle, I think God everyday for my blessings!

Don’t know if I can contribute to making and creating the Catholic Kids of tomorrow…since I Episcopalian, but who knows what the future holds since I can’t seem to get away from these forums :whacky:

Yes, my parents did well…I think!

God Bless!

 

[DJgang]

contemplative:

Oh! This makes me laugh. I know! I went from 2am milk parties to 2am yogurt parties. It was a very long time before mine slept through the night. Oh I loved those times. Yes, I actually called them parties…they woke up…they were hungry yet happy…they ate…and went back to sleep…and so did I.

Now it takes nearly a bulldozer to get them out of bed.

Is that what it is? A Party? Yee haw, I’m a partier and didn’t even know it…Ha!

It’s amazing how you can sleep on just a few inches on the edge of the bed, isn’t it? My kids bulldoze ME!

 

[vluvski]

Thanks for the thread, Gardens!
My mom stayed at home, and if I could attribute my personal success- spiritual, material, academic, professional- to one single thing, it is that my parents decided that Dad would be the breadwinner and Mom would stay with us kids. I have the best parents ever. I hope she is fulfilled.

 

[DJgang]

vluvski:

Thanks for the thread, Gardens!
My mom stayed at home, and if I could attribute my personal success- spiritual, material, academic, professional- to one single thing, it is that my parents decided that Dad would be the breadwinner and Mom would stay with us kids. I have the best parents ever. I hope she is fulfilled.

Your post just made me think of something.

My mother is the most helpful person to me right now. I honestly do not know what I would do without her. She’s not only my babysitter, but my best friend.

I wonder…since she did not stay at home with my brother and me, do you think she’s “kinda” making up for it with my children? She is ALWAYS wanting them at her house. If she goes a few days without seeing them, she’s asking if one can spend the night. She comes over to watch them while I do a little work at home (we own our own business). Not saying that’s the only reason, but could be part of the reason she’s so much involved.

Just a thought.

 

[aterrell]

I am posting on this thread as opposed to the other one, which did catch my eye… BUT I was afraid of the negativity that might be there and knew I didn’t need to see it! Hope you all will bear with me. All of your stories are very encouraging…well, they kind of make me feel like a horrible mom… BUT they do give me hope too. So thanks for that.

I do feel fulfilled in staying at home in the sense that I truly believe I am where I need to be and where God wants me to be. I have always believed that when I had children THAT would become my calling. It’s all I have ever wanted out of life–to be a good wife and mother. I worked and did well out of college when I was first married, but my job was just a job. Killing time and putting my husband through law school. Fast forward to now.

We had our first while dh was in law school. I worked some during his first year of life and hated it and knew it was not the way things should be. I converted to Catholicism, learned the truth about birth control and my husband and I have been blessed with 2 more children, who happen to be 15 months apart. I am also pregnant with #4 and this time my youngest 2 will be 20 months apart. (I’m getting a break, right?!)

Here is how I feel–dead tired and overwhelmed and beat down. I am only 31 and I feel like I’m 50. I am homeschooling my 5 year old–this part is actually going really well. It is the day to day grind of cleaning up after everyone all day long, changing diapers (on 2), wiping noses, making meals, keeping up with laundry… You all know. Every now and then I let myself entertain the thought… “I could go back to work.” It seems so attractive at times until I stop and think about it. Of course, by the time we paid day care for all these kids, we would probably be losing money!! So I guess I don’t have all those warm fuzzies of all the great things the kids and I do all day long, because I basically feel like I just exist from day to day and am not getting anywhere. I feel like I can’t enjoy them because there are so many of them–not that there really are that many, but I think the ages of the youngest 2 contributes to this feeling more than anything.

And right now I am trying to feed the kids dinner because even though my husband is on his way home, they can never wait that long to eat. So I better end this now…

 

[gardenswithkids]

aterrell:

I am posting on this thread as opposed to the other one, which did catch my eye… BUT I was afraid of the negativity that might be there and knew I didn’t need to see it! …I do feel fulfilled in staying at home in the sense that I truly believe I am where I need to be and where God wants me to be…Here is how I feel–dead tired and overwhelmed and beat down. I am only 31 and I feel like I’m 50. I am homeschooling my 5 year old–this part is actually going really well. It is the day to day grind of cleaning up after everyone all day long, changing diapers (on 2), wiping noses, making meals, keeping up with laundry

Young children have so much energy–and I think they get it by taking all their mother’s! I think it is normal to feel exhausted and overwhelmed at times. I sure do! That’s why I said on the other thread that it is our personal weakness and sins that sometimes cause the difficulities. Simply being human and requiring adequate sleep and nourishment in order to function is a weakness–and moms with young children often lack adequate sleep.:yawn:

I’m hoping that other stay at home mothers will share their “secrets to success”. I find prayer, confession, and adoration (when I can get there) are the best ways to refresh myself. I’m interested in reading what other’s find helpful to get through the rough times.

 

[Island_Oak]

aterrell:

Here is how I feel–dead tired and overwhelmed and beat down. I am only 31 and I feel like I’m 50. I am homeschooling my 5 year old–this part is actually going really well. It is the day to day grind of cleaning up after everyone all day long, changing diapers (on 2), wiping noses, making meals, keeping up with laundry… You all know. Every now and then I let myself entertain the thought… “I could go back to work.” It seems so attractive at times until I stop and think about it. Of course, by the time we paid day care for all these kids, we would probably be losing money!! So I guess I don’t have all those warm fuzzies of all the great things the kids and I do all day long, because I basically feel like I just exist from day to day and am not getting anywhere. I feel like I can’t enjoy them because there are so many of them–not that there really are that many, but I think the ages of the youngest 2 contributes to this feeling more than anything.

I have so been where you are. It was probably the most challenging thing I have ever been through and sometimes I wonder how I escaped with my sanity intact. Parenting babies/toddlers (esp. while pregnant) is some of the most physically and emotionally draining work you can find anywhere. I frequently remember feeling less than “warm & fuzzy” and just trying to get through to bedtime. Take heart–it DOES get easier and you will get a good night’s sleep again, I promise.

The saving grace for me was really my network of girlfriends. It only takes a few–who are in the same boat you are parenting-wise. We became like sisters and I love their kids almost like my own. We kept each other sane, laughing and loving our kids despite being exhausted. We also knew when someone was really down or stretched to the limit and at those times the meals, childcare, carpools, etc. would be provided without anyone ever having to ask for help. And while prayer and adoration surely work, I found no better tonic to overwheming fatigue than a pitcher of Margaritas and a few laughs with a couple girlfriends in the back yard on a Friday afternoon while the kids tumbled around in the grass!!