Valorie Burton: Can dirty diapers, running noses and piles of laundry be more rewarding than a career? Well, income and professional pursuits are important. Many women find there's no more rewarding job than being a fulltime mother. One thing for sure, it's never boring.
With a traditional job, unless you are in some kind of fast rack, you are often doing the same job year after year. With motherhood, the job is constantly changing and it's very dynamic. Parenting a baby is much different from a preschooler, which is way different than parenting an adolescent.
And not only that you get the reward of watching your kids develop and grow and your relationship with them grows as they become more mature. That's not to say there aren't some stressful days at home, especially with very young children; that's where the benefit of other relationships comes in.
For example, you can swap baby sitting once your week with one of your neighbors to take time for yourself. Regular breaks ward off mother burnout. Stand home moms don't get a pay check at the end of the week, but they do get rewards that last a lifetime; the chance to invest in their children, in a way that no one else ever will.