Society tells us that being a teacher is a good career for a mother. She is only working when the children are in school and home when the children are at home. Did anyone ever think of asking the children what they thought about this?
On my post She Was Always There, several women commented that their mothers were teachers, very good teachers but they felt robbed because of it. Some said their mothers gave all they had to the children they taught and had nothing left for them when their mothers got home. Another one said that her mother never taught her the fine arts of keeping a home.
I substituted for awhile when my youngest was in junior high. I noticed that all the female teachers were dragging by the end of the day. I was exhausted when I came home and could hardly move. I would lay on the couch and stay there a long time. My poor daughter, who I was suppose to be home schooling, was not getting much of my time or attention. I also taught full-time the first two years of my oldest daughter's life. I felt like I wasn't a good wife, mother or teacher because I was so overwhelmed.
Teaching is exhausting. It takes a ton of energy to teach a bunch of children. One of my friends who had children and was a teacher said it was like running a marathon. I have never wanted to run a marathon so it sure did not appeal to me.
One of the teachers at this fine Christian school told me that she could always tell the students who had SAHMs verses moms who worked outside of the home. She told me the students who had full-time mothers at home were more secure and happy.
Saying all this, I love teachers and am very thankful for them but I will always encourage mothers who have children at home to be home full-time with their children, if at all possible. Single women, women with no children or children who are all grown up have a lot more time and energy needed to invest in teaching and they don't have children at home that need them.
Something always suffers when we extend ourselves beyond what we should. It is usually the marriage that suffers, unfortunately. We fail to realize that the best thing we can do for our children is to stay married to their father until death do us part. Our marriage should always be a top priority in our lives.
I will therefore that the younger women marry,
bear children, guide the house, give none occasion
to the adversary to speak reproachfully.
