My life as a cliche
I’m married. I’m a stay-at-home mom. I live in suburbia and I drive an SUV (a mini-one with a teeny-tiny engine). My son now plays soccer.
My life is officially a cliche. (Hence the http of this blog.)
Alot of people see a person like me and think, “how boring.” They may even think chicks like me have a fairly suffocating existence.
And although 10 years ago, I had a completely different kind of life in mind, I ended up here.
But I LOVE this life. Yes, children require alot of energy and attention. Sometimes certain chores can get tedious but what job doesn’t have some level of tedium? It has been so rewarding to watch my son blossom into a happy, independant person who has developed a knack for making friends. He’s growing and changing so fast. Trying to keep up is exhaustive. But not boring.
And doing the stay-at-home thing? I’ll admit I felt completely isolated and overwhelmed for the first two years. (The reasons why would make for a long post.) But over the years, I’ve been lucky enough to establish a great support system. It’s pretty sweet to arrange an impromptu picnic at a park when a beautiful day comes along. It is also quite cool to have enough time in your day to help a working mom or fellow SAHM out when you know she could use a hand.
Like most stay-at-home moms, at some point, I’ll return to the work force. But I won’t regret the years I spent at home. I have never been more happy and felt more fulfilled than what I do right now. I have never felt more comfortable in this skin.
Being a cliche? Ain’t all that bad.
Marcus The Dad on 31 Aug 2006 at 10:19 am #
Hard to avoid being a bit cliche in some form or another these days. The trick is to pick one that fits and wear it with style.
Christina_the_wench on 31 Aug 2006 at 11:52 am #
“Soccer mom! Soccer mom! Soccer mom!” *pointing and giggling*
Had to do it. Sorry.
Alissa on 31 Aug 2006 at 11:56 am #
Your life sounds wonderful! Cliche or not.
nicolle on 31 Aug 2006 at 12:47 pm #
lady, do you ever sleep?
here’s to the beauty of a well deserved cliche!
Laura on 31 Aug 2006 at 2:38 pm #
My son started soccer last week. I can now say I am a proud (gulp) soccer mom also. I love it. Treasure this time.
Jennifer on 31 Aug 2006 at 2:47 pm #
Your husband said it perfectly. Everyone is some sort of cliche.
(I’d be the struggling twenty-something, searching for her life’s purpose, living in a house full of Ikea furniture).
Poopydigs on 31 Aug 2006 at 4:05 pm #
Can you come and help with working mom out? hahha. I’d love to be able to plan an impromptu picnic… .ahhhh
On the weekends, I put on my apron, bake some cookies and watch Oprah. We all need a little cliche in our lives.
melissa b. on 31 Aug 2006 at 4:22 pm #
Oh darling, you are anything but boring! You are fantastic. You have a lot to love and I’m so happy to hear that you do!
Cagey on 31 Aug 2006 at 4:29 pm #
My life is a cliche, too - albeit with an Indian Accent, I guess. However, I have never, ever been happier.
I have been reading quite a bit lately of how other SAHMs have felt isolated! I feel very fortunate to have avoided that. I think isolation is an easy trap to fall into and can quickly evolve into that proverbial hole that keeps getting deeper. Glad you found a way out of it! Life is too short to be unhappy, eh?
jennster on 31 Aug 2006 at 7:18 pm #
i think you’re far from cliche because you have a kick ass personality and you will let me molest you at blogher if we go. LOL! SMOOCHES!
Andrea on 31 Aug 2006 at 7:54 pm #
With all the nakeeness in your house, you’re far from boring!
Good for you, Lisa. Good for you.
Michelle on 31 Aug 2006 at 8:25 pm #
I can’t wait to be able to add soccer to my cliche: we have the mini-van, the dogs, everything but a kid playing soccer. I guess he’s still a little bit too small
Enjoy it while you can.
wendy boucher on 31 Aug 2006 at 8:52 pm #
I’m just moving out of the cliche phase of my life (having traded in the van for a Prius and started my life as an author and artist). But I loved my life as a cliche (although I couldn’t get Girlie to do soccer - we did dance.) I’m glad you are happy!
Pendullum on 31 Aug 2006 at 9:57 pm #
Odd… There has never been a movie really made about the ‘cliche’ stay at home mom…
And that is sad… as it more than a cliche is it not???
There are so many varous levels to any person…
and the SAHM is sadly represented in all forms of art…
I suppose that is why I enjoy reading your blog and others… as women are finally given voices that I can relate to!
Nothing cliche about it!
Lisa Goldstein/Kelly Kelly on 01 Sep 2006 at 1:40 am #
Sing out sista! I hear you, my life is a cliche too when you look at the details. But we live examined lives, and enjoy the hell out of our kid/kids. I imagine someone living a cliche to be doing so without irony/humor/awareness just simply falling victim to predictable circumstances etc. …..
Lisa
Mommy off the Record on 01 Sep 2006 at 4:08 am #
Great post. I think that being a SAHM is a wonderful “career.” I work part time and stay home part time so I guess I’m a part-time SAHM and I love it! I get to do a lot of things with my son that I wouldn’t get to do if I worked FT and I am grateful for that. So soccer practice here I come!
sunshine scribe on 01 Sep 2006 at 3:10 pm #
There ain’t nothin wrong with a cliche. There are thousands who would trade places with you for your fabulous life in a minute. And you are anything but boring
Great post!
Lori on 01 Sep 2006 at 5:36 pm #
I loved this post! And your life is far from dull. If anyone says otherwise, who cares? As long as you’re content.
Dawn on 01 Sep 2006 at 9:02 pm #
You know, I am only Just expereincing the SAHM ( kind of) thing. And, I also think that dropping her off at public school and having the day to myself is….Amazing.
Nut's mom on 01 Sep 2006 at 10:19 pm #
No, you aren’t a cliche until you drive a volvo, hence the volvo driving soccer mom song. hahahaha….
who cares if you think your life is a cliche? it’s obvious from your posts that it’s not (yes that was a compliment.)
besides, you look hot in your suit. mom’s I know would never look like that.
so insteaad of thinking you are a cliche, think of yourself as a MILF!!!
LOL
jsull28fl@yahoo on 02 Sep 2006 at 3:04 am #
good for you being a SAHM.
Thats awesome. Nobody anywhere anytime can say that a mom being home is detrimental to the child/children. My bride stays home, she even stayed home when we nearly starved to death (don’t send money we eat at least 4 times a week now!) Her big hang up is that she says she doesn’t contribute!?!?!?! I suspect alot of moms feel this way, I will tell you though you have the most important job in the universe. I hope she never works again even after the kids are gone to school or whatever. SAHM get 1000000000000000000% of my respect and so does the family unit, when people are willing to sacrifice money for the benifit of the child/children they show everyione where their priorities are. I understand that there are fems with kids that must work and I am surely not downing them I respect them too, its their sorry assed low rent no account husbands,boyfriends,baby daddies I dispise.
just thoughts from a Fl daddy
Mary Tsao on 02 Sep 2006 at 4:16 am #
More and more, I love being a cliche. I rarely write honestly about my life because it would sound like I’m bragging, but honestly, I get to be my own boss and spend my days with the two most important people in my life besides my husband. How cool is that? Well, about as cool as I make it. If I’m bored, I’ve got nobody to blame but myself! (But I’m rarely bored.)
jsull28fl@yahoo on 02 Sep 2006 at 5:56 am #
Mary,
I have all ideas that your man would much much rather ur priorities be your brood above him!
If he doesnt believe that then he is low rent
awesome that you stay home.
It is my perception that even the fams where both work, they all wish one could stay home with the kids!!
js
carrie on 02 Sep 2006 at 6:36 pm #
From one cliche to another, you rock! Oh, and the soccer . . . it only gets better!
Carrie
Kristin on 03 Sep 2006 at 2:26 am #
You just wait until that little darling boy has you being a Room Mother and then you know, you have just become the ultimate suburban mother… and it is all pretty damn good!
Happy soccer… we are FINALLY DONE!!!!
Mrs. Chicky on 04 Sep 2006 at 12:10 am #
I was thinking about writing a post much like this one. But you did such a great job I may have to rethink writing it.
I’m not looking forward to the soccer years, but if people knew how sweet being a SAHM can be they wouldn’t be so quick to put negative labels on us.
Becky on 05 Sep 2006 at 5:19 pm #
i wanna be that cliche. i wanna be a SAHM SO BAD!
Kirsten on 08 Sep 2006 at 4:11 am #
I’m a little late on commenting - have been out of town.
I couldn’t agree more. I never imagined I’d be this cliche, but I’m finding more and more that it suits me. It’s not at all what I would thought it would be. I can be myself and still be a SAHM in an SUV. Who knew?
Virginia Belle on 12 Sep 2006 at 3:40 pm #
I would LOVE to have your life, Lisa. it’s not a cliche. it’s my fantasy. It’s exactly what i want to be when i grow up. raise the kids, cook all the time….(note how i am leaving out the “cleaning the house” part….)
But i can’t get started on it until i meet Mr. Right. Very frustrating!!!! i am ready to go to soccer practice and prepare meatloaf!
i know what i want to be. But it’s hard to be a SAHM when you don’t have any kids or a working husband.
Aaaaargh. I can’t wait to be a cliche.
the thing is, your son will really appreciate it one day. my mom worked from home, so she was basically a SAHM. i’m so glad she was. (nothing against working moms AT ALL. because they are hard working people.)