Give That Girl A Raise!

Often when I've been by myself, without my wife, trying to load my three children (5, 3 & 18mos - and now a newborn!) into our van, I've joked to others that I'm going to double my wife's salary.
It's a compliment, really.

What I'm actually saying is,

"I don't know how she does it"
or
"Man-oh-man is this a hard job!"
or
"She's worth much more than she's getting"
or
"AAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!"

The catch is - she's a full-time, stay-at-home mom.
Her salary: $0.00. Get it?
Double her salary...double of nothing is...oh, nevermind.

I learned real quick the correct answer to the question: "Does your wife work?" (What they mean is, does she work outside the home). My answer used to be "No."
Wrong answer.
Correct answer: "Yes, she works, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, no vacation, no sick time, no pay. Yeah...she works."

Well, if you're a stay-at-home mom, you know that there is indeed a reward. This StarTribune article actually recognized some of the great joys of motherhood. Of course, they looked at some of the disadvantages as well - after all, it's the media...it's rare to find much redemptive value in a news story anywhere. In fact, they ended the story with the subtle assumption that you don't have to be married to anyone, much less the opposite sex, to be a mom:

So, mommies-to-be, talk it over with your significant other, quit that day job, grab the kids...and dream on!

What I did find interesting was this consideration of what a stay-at-home mom is worth in dollars and cents. They used this graphic from www.salary.com :





Amazing, huh? Now check this out - you can go here and print a "check" for your kids to present to their mom IF they could pay her what she's worth.

All things considered, I have two thoughts:

• My wife is worth much more than that "play check" could ever express
• And even if I could pay her that much...she wouldn't take it. The joys & blessings of raising our children in the "fear and admonition of the Lord" are, to her, worth far more than money.