Recently a politician’s wife came under fire because she did not work outside of the home.  The career woman implied that this stay at home mom was not intelligent or experienced to offer non-domestic advice.  Instead of keeping her mouth shut and being thought of as a fool, she spoke out and removed all doubt.

    What has happened to civility in this world?  Why would a person demean another on the basis of their occupation?  Is this the same as perceiving yourself to be superior to someone who is different than you in race, religion, sex, age, education etc.?

    My wife and I made a decision before our first child was born that she would not work outside of the home.  Our decision was personal.  Our decision was right for us and that same decision could be “wrong” for someone else.

    My wife is smart and brilliant and could be very successful in the business world. She chose an occupation of working inside the home.  Her work is not in public view. Her career is serving others without billable compensation for each and every task completed. In fulfilling her job responsibilities she may work for days without seeing or speaking with another adult.  Her profession does not punch a time clock nor is allowed to leave her job site each night. She has no employer to contribute to her retirement account.

    Women have a unique sense that men do not possess.  A woman’s intuition is a powerful thing.  How does a woman know some things?  What kind of internal antennae allows her to read other people and detect dishonorable motives or behavior? I have learned to ask for my wife’s advice on matters which she does not necessarily possess formal academic training. I discuss my office challenges and my work opportunities. She gives me sound advice. Hey guys, women are smarter than you think.

    Women who work outside the home are wonderful and great and smart also. Some women work because the household expenses require two incomes. A large number of women find themselves raising children as a single parent.  Now that is a difficult job everyone will agree with.

    In my career I have observed mothers who have struggled with fulfilling the job responsibilities of the paycheck and the job responsibilities of motherhood. For women who work outside of the home the domestic chores wait for her return.  Many working couples split the household duties.

    A working couple can hire people to clean their home and to babysit their children while they work.  Stay at home moms invest their time in their family. A stay at home mom can give a higher quality environment, interaction and education than a daycare. A stay-at-home mom and a go-to-work mom have the same household chores.  Many go-to-work moms believe that stay-at-home moms have a lot of free time.

    What does a good stay-at-home mom do with her time?  She keeps the children at home when they are sick so her spouse does not have to take time off from work. She volunteers for school field trips, classroom activities and church activities.  She can spend hours on the floor teaching and playing with a young child.  She can listen to teenage drama and inspire confidence and independence.  She is there to comfort a child’s pain, share the child’s joy and have a front row seat to watch the development of an adult.

    I am so grateful I am not a mother. I honestly don’t believe I could do what is required of mothers today. In my area of weakness God has provided the world’s best mother for our children.  Now that our children have left our household my wife continues to provide daily comfort, care and assistance.  Now she devotes most of her time to the well being of her parents.

    We realize that we are blessed to be able to have our lifestyle. We do not believe a stay at home mother is better than or less than a go to work mom. It was the decision that was right for us.

    All moms are special people.  The relationship between a mother and child can never be replicated between a father and a child.  It is a special God created connection.  Mother’s are special 365 (366) days of the year. One day to honor them is the least we can do.

    Here is a shout out to my wife Debbie. I love you. Thank you for a job well done. To my mother, I love you. Thank you for sacrificing so much during my childhood to do your best to raise me and my brothers to be responsible adults.  Thank you to my daughter. I love you. I admire you as you balance the decision of stay at home or go to work.

    David Compton is a Certified Public Accountant with offices in Meridian and Birmingham, Ala.