So...who am I?

[Brentwood]

I posted this on my blog and am sharing it here also:

Who Am I?

For years, I was a WOHM.

For years, I was a SAHM.

Now I have a job again, and I've gone to M-F noon to 3, with the occasional Saturday thrown in. That makes at least 15 hours a week, putting me solidly in the part-time arena.

So does that make me a PTWOHM? But if I'm a PTWOHM, and I also spend many hours each week at home or school doing SAHM stuff, does that make me a PTSAHM?

I seem to recall that one of the "rules" is that you can't work AND be a SAHM, so while there might be a designation for PTWOHM, indicating that she does not work full-time, there can be no designation for PTSAHM.

Now, if I calculate the number of hours spent at home, school, and children's activities, and they overwhelm the number of hours I am at work, am I a SAHM or a WOHM. Whoops, no, there again is the rule that any amount of work negates the SAHM label.

Does it change if I can bring my children to work with me? I work during the hours that Space Age daughter is normally in school, but it's after Space Age son's school hours, so he comes with me.

Does that make me a SAHM? No, because we're not at home. Does it make me a SAWM (stay-at-work mom?)? Does it make Space Age Son a WOHS (work-out-of-home son?)?

Maybe I am a PTSAHWOHM?




(As a note, I really don't want or expect answers to my questions - this was just a bit of fluff meant to poke fun at the labels we often insist on giving ourselves and how, unlike men, our identities seem to be wrapped up in parenting vs. working, as though somehow the two were mutually exclusive.)

[Pixie]

I'm just a pixie, and I'm a bit flighty.       I'm also flirty, but we don't talk about that.... 

[DottyG]

I posted this on my blog and am sharing it here also:

Who Am I?

For years, I was a WOHM.

For years, I was a SAHM.

Now I have a job again, and I've gone to M-F noon to 3, with the occasional Saturday thrown in. That makes at least 15 hours a week, putting me solidly in the part-time arena.

So does that make me a PTWOHM? But if I'm a PTWOHM, and I also spend many hours each week at home or school doing SAHM stuff, does that make me a PTSAHM?

I seem to recall that one of the "rules" is that you can't work AND be a SAHM, so while there might be a designation for PTWOHM, indicating that she does not work full-time, there can be no designation for PTSAHM.

Now, if I calculate the number of hours spent at home, school, and children's activities, and they overwhelm the number of hours I am at work, am I a SAHM or a WOHM. Whoops, no, there again is the rule that any amount of work negates the SAHM label.

Does it change if I can bring my children to work with me? I work during the hours that Space Age daughter is normally in school, but it's after Space Age son's school hours, so he comes with me.

Does that make me a SAHM? No, because we're not at home. Does it make me a SAWM (stay-at-work mom?)? Does it make Space Age Son a WOHS (work-out-of-home son?)?

Maybe I am a PTSAHWOHM?




(As a note, I really don't want or expect answers to my questions - this was just a bit of fluff meant to poke fun at the labels we often insist on giving ourselves and how, unlike men, our identities seem to be wrapped up in parenting vs. working, as though somehow the two were mutually exclusive.)

I think you're a WOMBAT.  Does that help?

[Clara Bow]

I think you're a wife, mother, woman, friend and part time superhero (as all us moms are!)....does that figure in?
I'm a full time student, mother, wife, angel, demon, lover, partner, friend, activist, looney, genius, part time superhero, resounding success, miserable failure, a ball of contradictions, happy with myself and working to be different all at once...and I've got to make spaghetti when I get home...

[Virg]

Auntie Venom has the truth of it.  Do you need a designation other than "person" for some purpose?  If you do want to come up with a label for yourself for personal prefernce, then you can pick and choose.  If you're part SAHM and part WOHM, you can choose which side to emphasize, and those who think there's some "rule" about how to label yourself in this regard can be pleasantly told to MYOB.

Virg

[behindbj]

I've been told that I'm a "helluva broad."

I think that's the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me...

behindbj

[Brentwood]

Auntie Venom has the truth of it.  Do you need a designation other than "person" for some purpose?  If you do want to come up with a label for yourself for personal prefernce, then you can pick and choose.  If you're part SAHM and part WOHM, you can choose which side to emphasize, and those who think there's some "rule" about how to label yourself in this regard can be pleasantly told to MYOB.

Virg

No, I don't need a label - that's why I included this note at the bottom of my original post:


(As a note, I really don't want or expect answers to my questions - this was just a bit of fluff meant to poke fun at the labels we often insist on giving ourselves and how, unlike men, our identities seem to be wrapped up in parenting vs. working, as though somehow the two were mutually exclusive.)

[IndianInlaw]

There's a million things to be....you know that there are...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sPx7k9IAdRM

[IndianInlaw]

By the way, tell us about your new gig. (Is that what you young people call employment today?)

[Brentwood]

By the way, tell us about your new gig. (Is that what you young people call employment today?)

I've only referred to my radio jobs as gigs, but I guess it's as good a term as any.

It's not great shakes: I'm working in the daycare of my gym. I originally took the job for just 6 hours a week as a way of getting my membership for free. When I was asked to take on more hours, it sounded good to me, so I jumped on it. I enjoy spending the time with the children and then giving them back to their parents. I'm also able to be home in the mornings and the after school/activity/supper time with my family, which is a big plus. I just had a review and received a raise.

[IndianInlaw]

Sounds pretty good to me.

I'm glad you enjoy it.

And a free membership...

(Such a smart girl, that Space Age Housewife)