By Katherine Bird ’18 | Staff Writer

There’s only one job in this world that requires you to work 365 days a year with no sick days, lunch breaks, or vacation. No, it’s not a stockbroker, a lawyer, or even a doctor. It’s a stay at home parent.

My mom has been staying at home with me ever since I was born.

Whenever I come home from school, she’s there. Whenever I wake up, she’s there. Whenever I’m on summer break, she’s there.

Throughout elementary school she was always the first volunteer to bring snacks. She was my Girl Scout leader when I was seven. She was always willing to come on all the field trips and every trip to the museum, etc.

Having a stay at home mom makes my life a bit more relaxing. Considering she’s home all day, she will do house work and by the time I’m home there’s nothing left for me to do. I have not one clue as to how to do laundry or make the dish washer work. This has created a dependence on  her.. I completely rely on her and no one else. That’s probably why my brother had a month’s worth of laundry that he drove 2 hours to drop off when he was a freshman in college.

My mom never “leaves work.”

If I ever need a ride, she’s there. If I ever want food, she’s there.

I’d like to say it makes us closer but sometimes spending so much time with her makes us argue. Usually about tedious things just because we are annoyed with each other.

She is your not-so-average soccer mom, but her facade says otherwise. She drives a Town and Country minivan and during the fall drives an hour out of her way, three days a week, to take me to soccer practice. She also thinks it’s okay to wear pink tops with pink skirts but I don’t judge.

Having a SAHM has taught me one important lesson: people who are selfless tend to be more compassionate and trustworthy. This is the foundation my mom has brought me up on and I plan on living by that for my days to come.