Do you ever look at someone longingly, wishing you had what they do? I do it all the time with many of my friend’s husbands. Shocked? Well, it’s not what is seems. I am not looking at them in that way – my hubby is plenty cute enough thank-you-very-much – I am longing for their existence.
Many of my friends are stay-at-home moms and they take pride in being the traditional wife and mother to their families. They are extremely committed to the role.
My husband and I both work, A LOT, and this means compromises all around.
So, when I hear about the lives my friends’ husbands lead I am envious to say the least and I don’t think many of the men totally appreciate what they have.
1. Dinner on the table. A home cooked meal every night? Yes please. I abhor cooking and my husband has been so busy lately it has mostly fallen to me. Not only do I hate it but I have so little time that the meals are always really simple. Breakfast for dinner it is! Again.
2. Lunches for the whole family. The night time scramble is crazy around our place – home from evening activities, homework, 2nd dinner, papers to sign, showers, bed. Adding making lunches into the mix is enough to drive us over the edge. Imagine the perfect lunch made for you every day just appeared? My kids would be in heaven.
3. Laundry done and put away. Our laundry basket is in a constant state. Our clothes often don’t even make it into their drawers until we need the basket for the next load! What I would do to come home and find my laundry clean and neatly folded in my drawers.
4. Chauffeur and household manager. My husband and I both work but someone still has to get the kids from A to B, carpool to games and activities, arrange for the plumber to fix the irritating running toilet, sign the kids up for camp, get them to the doctor and the dentist and the orthodontist, etc, etc, etc. I am sad to say that there are many items on our to-do list that have been there for years. For the most part my friends’ husbands have no idea that this is all being executed seamlessly while they are at work. What a dream!
5. Grocery shopping. Imagine living in a place where you never ran out of toilet paper? Where your fridge and cupboards were always full of the things you love? Heaven.
When both parents work it is impossible to do all of these things well. There just aren’t enough hours in a day. This is why I look longingly at my friend’s husbands. They have it made!
Last night as my son ate his last-minute dinner at 8 o’clock at night he said to me as I worked away trying to meet a deadline, my husband still not home, “Mom, we have to start eating better.” Oh man, the guilt! If only I could borrow one of my friends from their husbands. I would appreciate you. I promise!