Impostor

I used to stereotype stay-at-home moms. I assumed they had spotless houses, beautiful scrapbooks, rich husbands and the ability to cook well. I envisioned women who were dressed immaculately and who talked on their cell phones while driving their mini-vans.

Now I am a stay-at-home mom, regardless of how much writing I do on the side. My house IS cleaner than it used to be, but that's not difficult. I still don't cook or scrapbook and hubby is not rich. I have never been dressed immaculately. Instead of making me realize that my stereotypes were stupid, my life as a stay-at-home mom makes me feel like an impostor.

Sometimes I think that those women at the local playground don't talk to me because they know I'm a fake. I mean, I don't cook. What kind of stay-at-home mom doesn't cook? When other people talk about recipes, my eyes glaze over. I can make enough food to nourish my children for a week when hubby is out of town, but don't ask me to enjoy it or make it complicated.
And then there's scrapbooking. I'm lucky if I manage to print pictures off of my computer, let alone stick them in an album and decorate them. I did manage to finish my kids' baby books (mostly), and well, at least I did them. They're not pretty but they do describe the kids' milestones - isn't that the point? As for having a spotless house, I just strive for a hygienic one.

And I hate mini-vans.

I should just grab a work-away-from-home job right now before they kick me out of the park altogether.