“I’m Just Not Meant To Be A Full-Time Mom”

Richard Thetford

S everal years ago when we lived in Littleton, Colorado, my wife Malinda was in the front yard talking with our next door neighbor lady. Looking at her two children playing, the lady said, "I'm glad I work." My wife looked at her and asked, "Why do you say that?" She answered, "I' m just not meant to be a full-time mom." The neighbor lady explained that when she was at work she could relax and not worry about the children and all the chores that go along with raising them. We have known of Christian women who have stated to us at different-times that they have their children in pre-school half days so that they can "get a break."

During the past several years these same words "I'm just not meant to be a full-time mom" or words expressing the same thought have been echoed at different times. I understand that in some cases the wife must work outside the home to make ends meet, and that's fine. But the attitude that motivates women to work is the concern. I have known of some women who would put their children in day-care even on the days that they're off from work so that they can "unwind."

Is it any wonder why many of the children growing up today are feeling unappreciated and "in the way." We are instructed to "train up a child in the way he should go" (Psa. 22:6). How can we do that if we don't have them in our home? The kind of attitude that our neighbor lady portrayed toward her children is wrong. Women with children who think like that are shirking their responsibilities as a mother. We are blessed by the Lord to be able to have children. "Behold children are a gift of the Lord; the fruit of the womb is a reward" (Psa. 127:3). God fully expects us to conduct ourselves as his children and raise our children to be strong obedient Christians, but how can we when we're not there for them?

Could you imagine God saying to us, "I'm just not meant to be a full-time God!" Never! We expect God to be there for us all the time, anytime we need to call on him — but how can we call on him if he's not available? Fortunately, that's not the case because God is always there for us.

As parents we need to make sure that we are caring for our children the way we expect God to care for us. The church will only be as strong as the Christians that are in it. If we don't accept our responsibilities that God gave us as parents toward our children, while teaching them ALL the oracles of God (1 Pet 4:11), then we should not be surprised if someday our little girls grow up and look at their children when they play, and say those echoing words, "I'm just not meant to be a full-time mom!"