Unrealistic Expectations

I'm taking my 5-minute break today to write a quick blurb about unrealistic expectations - specifically, the ones we place on ourselves.

For me, I accepted an assignment that is going to cost me the weekend. The weekend is the only time my husband is home and it's the only time we can really spend together as a family. I value the weekends, but for some reason I gave this one up without a second thought.

So now I'm facing the prospect of hours upon hours of work to do this weekend when I should be spending time with my family. For what? A few hundred dollars. The chance to say that I'm a work-at-home mom with 3 young kids? Why do I put the pressure on myself to raise 3 children, keep the house clean, feed everyone healthy food and work non-stop from home? It seems crazy, but I do it because that's what my husband expects. He can't float all the bills by himself. We were fine before I stayed home, and even though that was very much a mutual decision, I feel the need to still contribute financially - mostly because I know he thinks I should.

After all, I'm a stay-at-home mom, so that means I must just sit around eating bon-bons all day, right? What are bon-bons anyway?

I sure hope that when the kids are older I won't regret spending all day working and cleaning instead of making messy art and playing outside. I hope the kids don't feel slighted. I hope my husband finally sees and understands what I'm doing and most of all, I hope the guilt goes away. Darned if you do, darned if you don't.