My real job

During Project Book Babe one of the questions that was asked of the panel was: When did you know writing had become your career? Shannon Hale had a great answer. She said, “It isn’t my career. Being a mom is my career.”

I’ve always felt the same way. I’m a mom first. I hardly did any promotion or travel before my kids went to school all day. If truth be told, I didn’t do a lot of writing before my kids went to school. It was mostly done during nap times, favorite kid TV shows, or sitting beside soccer fields pretending that I cared which way the ball went.

Sometimes I forget this though. I imagine we all do. We have a goal to get xyz done and our kids seem to be the thing standing in the way of getting xyz done, so they seem like a job-hinderance instead of our real job.

But today I’m remembering. Being a mom is my real job. I will make cupcakes for my daughters class, and take another daughter shopping for the shorts she needs, and make dinner.

I can’t complain. All in all it’s a great career.

2016 Update: The pictures of my children have disappeared from this post. That is because one is a Youtube personality now, and he doesn’t want pictures of him when he was younger floating around. Yeah, I know it’s still there on the web anyway. But whatever. Sometimes being a mom means you put up with stuff. I forgot to mention that in my original touching post about being a mom.

15 comments

  1. tenacious d
    May 19, 2009 at 12:02 pm

    I remember when there was only one of these darlings. I’d say be careful what you wish for, but they are turning out so very well.

  2. Janette Rallison
    May 19, 2009 at 1:59 pm

    Yes, and I remember calling you during eighteen hours of labor and telling you that the whole childbearing idea had been a mistake–thank goodness it’s too late to change your mind at that point!

  3. Rachelle
    May 19, 2009 at 6:10 pm

    I didn’t know you had 5 kids Janette! I love this post. 🙂 I posted a review about the Scrapbox on my blog, if you’d like to see a pic, come visit!

  4. Julie Wright
    May 19, 2009 at 6:32 pm

    You have a gorgeous family Janette! And I loved Just One Wish. It was, as always, perfect.

  5. Melinda
    May 20, 2009 at 5:56 am

    You have a beautiful family. It’s important to remember what is most important… 🙂

  6. Sarah M Eden
    May 20, 2009 at 8:09 am

    This is so very, very true. I’m spoiled now that all my kids are in school. With summer break approaching, I’ll be back to writing while they’re asleep at night. Welcome back “Tired Zombie Mommy.”

  7. Janette Rallison
    May 20, 2009 at 10:08 am

    My daughter keeps me updated on how many days of school they have left–and I’m already wondering when I’m going to have time to write. But hey, on the bright side I won’t have to get up early to make cold lunches.

  8. Danyelle
    May 20, 2009 at 10:36 am

    Amen! Momming is the best job there is. 😀

  9. Kristi Stevens
    May 20, 2009 at 1:05 pm

    Needed to read that today. 🙂 Thanks.

  10. Asenath
    May 21, 2009 at 1:11 pm

    I think you have better pictures of us girls…

    Thanks for being such a fantastic mom. 🙂

  11. megs
    May 21, 2009 at 8:25 pm

    You made dinner?! I thought you were against that sort of thing.

    And here I’ve been trying to mimick you by feeding my family cold cereal. Back to square one…

  12. Janette Rallison
    May 21, 2009 at 10:18 pm

    Well, today it was frozen burritos. . . but I put them in the microwave. That counts as cooking.

  13. Kaylie
    June 17, 2009 at 2:16 pm

    I love that people as tremendously successful as you and Shannon Hale are would say that your career is being a mother. Right now, when my kids are little and I’m still in the fledgling writer stage, it’s hard to keep for me to keep that perspective.

  14. Kassi
    March 16, 2018 at 11:47 pm

    Are you TheOdd1sOuts mom lol (James Rallison)

    • Janette Rallison
      March 21, 2018 at 3:27 pm

      As James would say: Maaaybe…

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