Tuesday, September 7, 2010

Occupation: Domestic Engineer

Whenever there is a form to fill out and it asks for my occupation I write "Domestic Engineer". Next to it I usually write in parenthesis "homemaker" in case no one knows what a DE is. I never thought anyone took it seriously. Well, on my child's information sheet for school under mother's occupation it says "Domestic Engineer". I smiled and thought, maybe this person gets what I do all day long.

Imagine how people would reply when they ask you what you do and you say, "I am a domestic engineer." Sounds very professional and technical, right? I can see the "Wow, she must have a PhD in that or something." Hey, it takes brains and talent to brush a child's hair, help another put on her shirt, while nursing a baby. I did it this morning. It takes guts to sign up your kids for sports, knowing you will have to be at the field 5 days a week, taking dinner, snacks, things to do not to mention trips to the nasty port a potty or the tricks it takes to get us all out the door on time (and all of this while nursing a baby. I have become ampidextrous.) And, it takes know how to put together a meal in 5 minutes that everyone will eat and will have some kind of nutritious value.

Yes, I am a Domestic Engineer. It doesn't pay a whole lot of money, but the long term benefits are worth it.