Responsibilities

I spent an hour in Declan's class this morning for a poetry reading followed by snacks. The kids did a great job with their poems. I took Waverly with me, she causes quite a scene in a third grade classroom. While kids were enjoying snacks after the reading, one little boy was hanging out by me wanting desperately to hold or feed or even just "pet" Waverly. He made me giggle when he asked if he could just pet her. Any way, when I told him no numerous times he said, "do you need to leave so you can get back to work?" I told him no, I do not have a job. The look on his shocked little face was hilarious. Here is the conversation that followed:

boy: you don't have a job? Then how do you get all your money to take care of all your children?

Me: My husband has a job that takes care of the money for us. I take care of the house and kids.

Boy: wow. Not my dad. All he does is sit around the house with no job, so my mom has to work and work and work just so we can have some money. He should go get a job. What do you do?

Me: I clean the house, laundry, cook all our meals, do all the shopping, take care of all the kids. That is my job.

Boy: Your husband should do that stuff.

Me: no, my husband has a job to earn money for us. It is my job to take care of all the other things. When would a dad have time to do all that when he has a job?

Boy: my dad should get a job so my mom can take care of all her children.

The teacher was near during this conversation at first and laughed a little as she walked away. It was a slightly amusing little conversation, unless you look into what this little boy was saying and thinking. He was shocked that I did not have a job and that my husband actually did and that I was happy to take care of all my children. This little boy was wanting what my family has. If only his mother or father had been there to hear him read his poems and over hear this conversation.

It made me grateful for my husband who does work hard to provide for us and who likes having me at home doing my job of taking care of our family. I wouldn't have it any other way.