Open 24-7…All day, every day

We go through midnight feedings, ear infections, nightmares, waiting up for our teenagers to get home, and constantly playing musical beds for years on end. We get up and down out of our warm beds continuously in a sleep deprived state day after day. The next day, we still must follow our endless to do lists and responsibilities. I’d like to know where in the job description of being a mama says that I am open 24 hours a day and 7 days a week. Now, I have not seen evidence of this same job description in the daddy’s manual. Now, my husband dearly loves our children, but he has this amazing power to shut down his brain and body and sleep through a tsunami. Somehow, in this 24-7 expectation I am also not supposed to be tired, sleepy, or grumpy. Now, I do not know how this is possible, but it seems I am desperately working toward acquiring this lofty goal.

Personally, I think that being a mama is the most difficult job that exists. It is a job that lasts a lifetime. It controls your mind, body, and soul. It can provide a range of emotions from complete happiness and bliss to desperate hurt and pain. What other job can control your entire self? I can’t think of one. If it did exist, who in the world would want to apply for that position? More importantly, what would such a position pay? Now, would I ever walk away from it? Absolutely not…not even if my life depended on it.

Although I would not give up this glorious position of mama, I still think that the 24-7 expectation is too much for even the super mamas out there. I’m not sure how you can accomplish such a feat especially with all the other expectations upon a mama’s shoulder! Mama’s need sleep, rest, and genuine time to rejuvenate. The only way you can be the mama you want to be is to take care of yourself. This means that from time to time, we have to pull out the “CLOSED for REPAIRS” sign! I think this is advice that I just might be taking very soon! I suspect my usual customers (being my family) will probably be quite surprised and might protest, but my mama contract will just have to be renegotiated. Even this mama deserves time off for good behavior!

Mama Drama Rule #10: Don’t feel guilty when you can’t keep up with the 24-7 mama expectation. Take time to shut down and rejuvenate.