There's also nothing wrong with being a stay-at-home wife. More power to YOU! It's definitely not for everyone, including me.
My issue is when people say that's all they want to be, when they grow up. I'm even more confused when they say that, and they haven't even landed a man yet. *side eye, all day long*
You want to be a mom, yet you're missing a crucial piece of the puzzle to contribute to your dream. Unless, you're adopting or getting stuff planted into you and whatnot.
A few months ago, I was having a conversation with one of my co-workers on what she wanted to do with her life. She's married, and I think her son is around 2 years old. I'm not sure how we got on the subject, but I remember we talked about it on at least two separate occasions. She told me that all she ever wanted to be was a mom. (And no, this posting isn't about her specifically. I've talked to quite a few girls who've claimed the same.)
Her statement just didn't sit well with me. In my mind, I'm always thinking that having children is never guaranteed. Of course, there are a plethora of options out there nowadays to fulfill a desiring parent's needs. However, many folks want to create their own mini-me's with their respective mates.
If your life's desire is to only be a wife/mother/homemaker, I just wonder what happens to your identity when the kids are grown and out the house. What happens when they go off to college or move to another city or state....who will you be then? What will define you then, since you won't have a child to readily cater to?
So, I remember asking my co-worker what she liked to do. Was there anything else that she thought of being when she grew up? What were her passions? At first, she hunched her shoulders and said she didn't know. That kind of made me sad. It's kind of weird, but I love encouraging people to walk into their purpose and go after their dreams. Yet, my own motivation to help others barely touches me in a way to move forward.
She then mentioned that she loved animals, and she had taken a few classes awhile ago to do something in the veterinary field. However, school wasn't really her thing. So, she took some time off (like many of us do). I gave her some "homework," and I told her to look up a school so she could enroll this Spring semester and finish her degree.
It was in the late months of 2011, when she came to work one day and proclaimed that she was going to cosmetology school in January. I was shocked at the change, but she was pretty amped about her decision. I could tell that this was an area where she would exhibit some passion. I ran into her today, and she just looked so happy dressed in her black hair apron. She explained all that she'd been up to in school, including learning how to do a relaxer on the first day of school! Wow! Listening to her speak on her future profession, almost made me consider going into the cosmetology field myself! Haha.
She constantly tells my co-workers that it was I that pushed her to do this, that it was I that gave her that "homework assignment."
Wow...didn't know my words had that much of an influential effect. And I didn't think she was actually going to take my advice. I mean, I feel like a "do as I say, not as I do" type gal...in the fact, that most days any self-motivation I have goes in one ear and out the other.
Maybe my purpose is to make sure you have a purpose? Hmmm....
Don't forget our motto:
"You can't be a wife until you get your own life!"
Don't wait until marriage and kids to start living. Tomorrow isn't promised, and nothing except Jesus is guaranteed. Each one of us has a purpose to unlock and fulfill for the duration of our time here on this Earth. What are your passions, frustrations, likes, and dislikes? What would you do if money wasn't a factor? Your biggest frustration could be something that you are meant to solve. You were created for more than your 9-5, and you are more than the title of "mother" or "father." Take the time to find out.
