Dr. Robinson said WHAT?!

According to a sociologist at the University of Maryland, moms have about 30-40 hours of leisure time/week. What the what?! I think the last time I saw 30 hours of leisure time I was 10.

Now, let's be fair and admit that yes, sometime during my day as a stay at home mom I have time to sit on the couch and eat bon bons run a brush through my hair by noon. If I fit in a shower before that, I'm especially lucky. If it's a shower sans two little boys and I have time to deep condition my hair I'm even luckier. Really, though--I might have a few minutes here and there to steal a few minutes to myself but 30 hours of leisure time? Who is this guy?

Here are just two examples of something that Dr. Robinson considers "leisure time":

*Getting a root canal at the dentist.

SAY WHAT?! The last time I heard anybody say a root canal was a leisurely activity was.....oh wait, never. I would rather cover myself with honey and lay on an ant hill. That's a leisure activity, right? I mean, you're just laying there.

*Waiting on the side of the road for a tow truck after your car broke down (if no kids are in the car with you.)

Yes, technically you are sitting in the car with nothing to do......but how stressful is it that you're stranded?! It'd only be considered leisurely in my mind if AAA included a pedicure service while you waited for your tow.

Here are some types of "leisure activities" that turned out to be not so leisurely for me.....

Surfing the internet. That's great when you're not googling how to remove nail polish that your 2 year old "painted" on your jacuzzi tub.

Chatting on the phone. Wonderful if you're not chatting with an operator from poison control explaining that your one year old swallowed a bunch of your folic acid pills. Even worse when you have to call back a year later because your now 2 year old ate a half bottle of teething tablets and you find out that your information is already "in the system." (Turns out teething tablets are mostly sugar--how does that work??).

Driving to well, anywhere. During the 10 minute drive to Walmart instead of listening to your favorite playlist or taking in the beauty of nature you are listening to your 3 year old taunt his little brother with toys and books even after repeating a million times that you will "turn this car around!"


Watching T.V. Sure, leisurely enough. Unless you're on the floor surrounded by 4 loads of laundry that needs to be folded and you're 42" TV seems more like a 26" TV because 16" are covered with fingerprints that you've already wiped 6 times that day. Also, not so leisurely when you're watching a Dr. Phil episode (surrounded by said laundry) about some guy who claims moms have 40 hours of leisure time/week.

Eating lunch. Perfect if you're at a cute little restaurant. Or even a Subway. I'd take a McDonalds. Not a leisurely activity to clean up and eat the left-over remains of what your toddlers left in their highchairs. Ok, I've never really done that....well, maybe once. Or twice. But who's counting?

I love that Dr. Phil said according to a recent study, moms actually work 94 hours/week. And if they were to be paid salary, it would be around $117,000/year (or more)! To all you people out there who think being a mom is "easy"--put that in your pipe and smoke it!

***********Disclaimer*************

I LOVE my job as a SAHM :) Even if I did type this whole post with a 17 month old on my lap. And to be completely honest, I do have real leisure time that I enjoy on some days. Just don't tell my husband that.