Being a mom is often thankless. While those who stay home must often carry additional patience, staying home is the where the heart is for these amazing Owensboro moms.
Misty is a 41-year-old mom to two beautiful girls and has stepped out to be a mother figure to foster kids. Her oldest daughter is married and will soon make Misty a grandmother.
The greatest reward Misty experiences staying home is being able to be active in the kids’ lives and feeling less anxiety than when working. The younger kids she fosters are always so excited when she surprises them at school.
Misty says, though worried about losing a regular paycheck at one time, “Being a stay at home mom, not having all the stress seems to be a lot more rewarding than having the extra income. Things seem to be running so much more smoothly.”
Her hope is to be a positive influence for her biological daughters and that all the foster kids that pass through her home will feel loved and part of the family.
Rose is 35 years old and her children are 10, 8, 6, 3 and newborn. But she has a clear view of her role as their mother.
Rose says, “The greatest reward of being able to stay at home is for the children’s benefit. I am able to respond immediately to their needs and concerns, direct their activities and development, plus protect them from the hurry-up culture of our world. Children do not benefit from the constant programming and rushing here and there, but at home they learn imaginative play and how to tackle their assigned responsibilities. My children know they can talk to me and depend on me. I get to see their first steps; I get to see the light go on in their brains as they make new discoveries. Being home is as rewarding to me as it is to them. It is also important for me to be home because of the logistics of getting the wash done, fixing healthy meals, getting them to planned activities, and having time as a family to enjoy each other.”
As a college graduate, Rose realizes others might think her contribution could be better or different than shaping the lives of her children, but she has no misgivings about being home because it’s the best solution for everyone in her family. It allows her to support her husband by giving him peace of mind to do his job knowing she’s taking care of their family.
Rose says, “I hope my children will learn to put their children/family first and not be caught up in having ‘things.’” She teaches that an efficient home is one where the basic needs are met and that money does not bring happiness.
Now we meet 35-year-old Katie, wife and mother of 2 girls, 6 and 2. Her greatest reward is being able to be with her girls every day. She admits there are certainly challenges to staying home, just as there are with working moms. It’s about balancing the demands of daily life, and she would not have it any other way.
Katie and her husband give their children what their parents gave: a love of God, family, friends, and country. They hope their children will treat everyone with respect and dignity and learn to know that all people have worth. Katie ends with a very wise statement to her kids, “Have fun in this life, laugh, and enjoy each day!”
Miriah is 40 years old, married, and a mom to two children, 17 and 15. She says the rewards of being at home are beyond what she imagined. It has helped build faith and values in the lives of her kids. “Their communication level and skills are vital to being in healthy relationships all throughout their life. Being home with them has definitely allowed me more time in fostering these areas.”
Miriah explains that staying home brings a variety of stages as the kids age. When the kids were younger she didn’t get much of a break or an outlet – she was glad for Mom’s Day Out programs or get-togethers. As the kids got older she was the one frequently home so her voice wasn’t heard by them as much as dad’s. They wanted to push mom over if they could. She said, “It can be a daily fight to be the one at home because as they become teens, they have more of a desire to run the house. I remind them often that they joined our family, I didn’t join theirs. And that I am in charge, I am the parent.”
Miriah reflects, “I hope our kids will look at our lives and see that we have loved them through it all, even if it was tough love at times.” She prays they see the importance of faith and practical ways to walk in it daily. And that life may not always be easy, but relationships with others make it worth all of the work, especially if they love unconditionally. Last, but certainly not least, “Work hard, but don’t forget to laugh!”
It might not always be the most glamorous job, but it pays dividends that even banks would deem priceless. Though some of these women “quit their day jobs,” they’ve accepted and excelled at positions some other moms wouldn’t dare apply.
Stay at home moms, we thank you!