Most careers boast paid vacation, sick leave, retirement plans and stock options, but with motherhood, we seldom get to enjoy a bathroom break without a crying child or a needy pet vying for our attention. It has been reported that if a mom were to receive a salary for all of the job duties she does as chauffeur, chef, doctor and maid, including overtime pay, her income would easily reach $140,000. So, the question remains, “How many other careers offer you a six-figure salary but no time off?”
In the news, we constantly hear how undervalued teachers are in our society. I agree. Teachers are grossly underpaid and under appreciated. However, at least teachers have a bell which rings at the end of the day, signaling to them that they can take off their teacher “hat” and transition into their private lives. Moms, on the other hand, have no bell that says their workday is done. No chime that signifies “Now is your time!” Sleep may appear to be the only reprieve for a mom who has wiped noses and butts all day long. This is not to say that our children don’t provide us with joy and laughter, but love for our children does not always serve as an adequate replacement for some much needed alone time.
I once read about ancient wars that had been stopped by the female population in the battling villages. They gave an ultimatum to their men. They threw down the ultimate gauntlet and said, “Until the fighting stops, you will no longer be able to make love to us.” Sure enough, the men laid down their weapons, (Most likely threw them down) a cease-fire occurred, and the war ended. Although I am not a fan of withholding sex to get what I want, you can’t argue with history! If sex can be used to end violence, just think how it could be used constructively to negotiate some alone time for us moms. Just the mere threat of a sex strike would send waves of panic through the male population. Our significant others would be on the phone in an instant, calling to make a reservation for us at a spa or our favorite restaurant. I can see it now, husbands across America would have their needs waylaid until our basic needs for renewal and rejuvenation were satisfied. Well, although I do think this approach would deliver some much needed perspective to our spouses, I am not an extremist at heart. (I also don’t want to receive hate mail from husbands who have been “cut-off”.) Instead, I suggest that we make ourselves a priority without having to resort to sexual blackmail. We can stage a peaceful “me-time” movement where everyone wins.
Since society has not yet carved out a mandatory two-week vacation for moms, it is up to us to make sure that we get the down time we deserve. We have to take matters into our own hands to ensure that we can step away from our role as moms, even if it’s just for a few hours a week. Knowing that many successful revolutions have taken place when there is solidarity amongst those lobbying for change, I’m letting you know that the time has come. Moms are ready to unite and send up a unified voice to the heavens: a voice proclaiming, “If you want me at the top of my game, and ready to face another day of dodging Legos and leaping over strollers to catch a wayward toddler, I need a night off!”
Sit back, relax and take a glimpse into the organized chaos we call motherhood. Anyone reading these tales can clearly see that without time for ourselves, we are merely one step away from a straitjacket and a padded cell. Wouldn’t our families prefer to be without us for a small block of time instead of being limited to seeing us only during visitation hours at the sanitarium?
