Tamara
hancock
author/
mom-trepreneur
Dressed For
Success
As a Work at home mom, I
rarely venture out during the day.
As a mother of 5 my husband and I rarely go out in a social setting
because the logistics of it are far too complicated (all of our children are too
young to babysit, and asking a friend to take 5 children for the evening
sometimes feels like too much of an imposition...) However, once in a while, we do make it
out for an evening alone, or with minimal children accompanying us. Last night we had a rare opportunity to
go to a Phoenix Suns game with some co-workers of my husband. Three
tickets to the Honeywell Suite became available at the last minute, so we begged
and pleaded with a neighbor to watch our four youngest and we hurried off to the
game with our oldest daughter in tow.
When we arrived there, I was introduced to a few of the women co-workers of my husband. His Co-workers know that I am a work at home mom, and they also know that we have five children. In my husband's office his computer monitor and walls are littered with pictures of the kids and drawings they have made for him. Because I am the one that takes most of the pictures, I am noticeably absent in all of them. His colleagues have no idea what I look like. That's why the greeting from one of his female colleagues in particular took me aback. " It's so nice to meet you - you look, [with a surprised sound to her voice and wide eyes] pretty."
I was definitely flattered by her comment until it hit me - she didn't expect me to look the way I did. She had an entirely different idea in her head as to what a "stay at home mother of five" might actually look like. It seems that several years of stereotypes have shrouded current work at home and stay at home moms in a cloud of mystery, and baggy sweats.
While I admit there have certainly been days that I do hang out in the house in my house robe and slippers, typically when I get up and get myself ready for the day, I actually do take the time to shower, get dressed and, yes, even *gasp* comb my hair and brush my teeth. My mother always used to tell me to "dress for the job that I want". I want to be a fun, ready to work or play, professional - mom. If I don't take the time each morning to clean myself up and to tend to my appearance, I don't feel nearly as productive in my job, or in my domestic responsibilities. Getting dressed and ready for the day is my way of overcoming the sometimes very strong "I don't wanna's".
Granted, sometimes this plan doesn't work very well, I still get the "I don't wanna's". I'd be willing to bet that we all do, no amount of makeup or hairspray is going to overcome that. But, I do promise, if you get into a routine of getting ready each morning, it will help you to feel more productive, more alert, and more ready to tackle the day head on.
More about tamara
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