It's the most underpaid position in the world

There is a job out there that never gets the recognition and respect it deserves. You are all guessing right now, but let me help a bit. It’s not a firefighter, law enforcement or military. Although those are slighted at times, too. No, it is not a teacher, pastor or any other high profile position. OK, let me give you a hint. They work 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, never get a pay check and are responsible for every person in the world today. Figure it out yet. Yep, they are mothers.

In a recent study stated that if a stay-at-home mom was paid at the rate they should be for the work they do for eight hours in a day for five days a week, they would make over $60,000 a year. That is not counting the other 16 hours in the day or the two days in the weekend. It’s not counting the holidays on which they have to work double time or the work done on vacation. Yep, mothers are the under appreciated work force in the world.

So before I write this next part, I must tell you I am not tooting my own horn, I just want to convey that for one day I kind of understood all the work that goes into being mom. Sunday I wanted to show my appreciation to one lady, who I know is a mother, on Mother’s Day. So I got up extra early to make breakfast for the family that was coming over, but first I had to clean up from the night before. Once breakfast was done, I still had to get ready for church and I did not have time to do dishes. After church, dishes, a little cleaning and I’m exhausted already. But there is still stuff to do. I tried and let the lady rest while I did a few more things. Before I knew it, I was napping on the couch. OK, wake up, clean up and get ready for dinner. After dinner, yep, more dishes and other chores to get done before the new week starts. All I can say is, I slept well that night.

That is just one day. Mothers are the non-stop work horses of the world. They get up every day and raise kids. Some kids are ungrateful, some are challenges, some require all the patience that anyone else on earth could not contain. Do they make mistakes? Well, that goes without saying, but they continue on, loving, disciplining, and guiding us all through our paths as we make mistakes and take wrong turns. They are always there. To listen, to wipe our tears and help when they can.

Not all mothers stick it out. They just can’t for whatever reason. But there is always someone else that steps up. A grandmother, an aunt or a foster parent. They become the mother. Sometimes even a father has to do double duty and fill both roles. Whatever the situation calls for, a mother figure steps in the role — sometimes a role they are not familiar with or not ready for, but they do it anyway.

So thank you to the moms out there. For doing your best to raise presidents, teachers, warriors and scholars. It may take years for us to acknowledge your work, but we will eventually. Thank you to my mom. She did the best she could with what she had to work with (me). Thank you to Karrie for raising two wonderful kids through good times and bad.

And to all of you mothers out there struggling right now: Keep your chin up, you are doing an awesome job. Someday your kids will thank you in a big way. Heck, that check might even show up, paying you for the back pay.