These 3 Types of Moms Have More in Common Than You Think
There are all different types of moms with all different types of responsibilities. Moms who work at home, moms who stay at home, or moms who work outside the home. One is no more successful or better than another, and each has their own story. But most importantly, they all hold the same title.
Mom.
And this fact makes them more alike than one might think.
WAHMs (Work at Home Moms)
These are the moms that work in some professional capacity from home. They can be full or part-time workers, contractors, or side hustlers. Either way, these moms are performing their job tasks at home, possibly with kids at home. They do their best to balance work and life, as life plays out right in front of their work, literally.
What scenarios occur for these moms?
Emails pour in, and your child decides that day is the day they will boycott their nap.
The overwhelming number of tasks or projects adding up has nothing on the amount of toddler tantrums you’ve had a chance to witness in a 3-hour period.
You're having the best cuddle session with your little one, a fantastic game of Candy Land shared with your kindergartener, or an intense conversation with your tween about that week's crush. (All while wanting to pretend like work doesn't exist in those moments and sometimes accomplishing it.)
Embracing a post-bedtime “workday.”
SAHMs (Stay at Home Moms)
These are the moms that are full-time moms. They care for their children 24/7 and tend to have more conversations with their babies, toddlers, or tweens than actual adults. Most of these moms decided to stay at home, stepping back from their careers. These moms have traded the noise of water-cooler banter for baby screams, toddler laughs, or the Encanto soundtrack on repeat.
What scenarios occur for these moms?
A screaming, hungry baby in one hand, and a toddler tantrumming child rolling around on the floor beside you.
Every moment is dedicated to your children without having to balance work responsibilities or thoughts.
The longing for adult conversation and a clean pair of yoga pants.
When the stars align, naptime goes swimmingly, and your laundry productivity goes through the roof.
WOHMs (Work Outside the Home Moms)
These moms bid their children adieu in the morning and meet back up with them closer to dinner or bedtime. Then, they play catch-up at night with the kids while addressing all the work tasks throughout the actual workday hours. Although sometimes that spills over into “after work” hours.
What scenarios occur for these moms?
Only getting to spend a brief amount of time at night with their child/children before bedtime sneaks up on them.
Getting to flex and fulfill your professional muscle, while harboring a certain amount of jealousy towards whoever gets to spend the workday with your child/children.
An overwhelming feeling of exhaustion as you attempt to balance work and life.
Missing daycare or school activities because, unfortunately, work might take priority over certain events.
Being a stay-at-home mom isn't easier or harder than being a working mom. Moms constantly shift their priorities to balance work and life and manage every title they hold. But, when it comes down to it, every mother mothers, and every mother works. Every mom lays their head down at night and might think they did great at being a mom that day or they did great at being a professional that day – never both. Nor is that something as moms that we should expect to achieve.
Take the wins as you get them, small, large, or minuscule. It doesn't matter. Moms will have good days and bad, but no matter what the day brings, you’ve already won because you’re a mom. Not a stay-at-home mom, not a work-at-home mom, not a working mom, just a mom.
Although, don’t get too used to that title because, as the meme says, no one prepares you for the transition from Mama, to Mommy, to Mom, to Bruh. And God help us all when we reach that last one.