I've thought long and hard about that. And you know what? I do believe that parenting is indeed a job - a full time one, at that, whether you already have a "real" job or not.
Consider the elements of a job... pay, bonuses, feeling of accomplishment, sense of success or failure. I say that parenthood has all of these!
Pay - hugs and kisses. Smiles that melt your heart.
Bonuses - random acts of kindness by your children (and maybe even your spouse!), original artwork, crazy storytelling
Accomplishment - contributing to the greater good of humanity by raising a well-rounded child
Sense of success or failure - your child is a reflection of your parenting, for better or worse
As a stay-at-home Mom (and a New Parent Coach), I take my Mom job seriously -- I don't put Kylie (now 2 yrs old) in front of the TV for hours so that I can busy around the house. We play, we learn, we grow together. She's my little buddy. She's a caring, sweet, loving little girl. Creative and funny. And soooo smart! And when people compliment how sweet she is or how impressed they are that she can spell her name, I take a small amount of pride in that. And when Kylie looks at me and says "Mommy, guess what? I love you sooo much," my heart melts.
So when I'm being tried by mid-night wakings or Kylie's testing her boundaries, I know that this is all part of the job, and that each "trial" is an opportunity for growth (for both of us!).
