Here is your Interesting fact of the day – if you were to pay Mom for all the work she does for her family, her annual salary in 2019 would be $71,297.
That’s according to Insure.com, which every year compiles its Mother’s Day Index by thinking of all the jobs Mom performs, looking up the average hourly wage for that position according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and calculating the worth.
I personally love the jobs that make the index each year. There’s cook and chauffeur (naturally), and maid and meeting planner (that makes sense too). But there’s also teacher, interior designer, grounds maintenance worker and my favorite, private investigator.
It’s a fun little article, but I think it also points out the difference between the worth of the work that a Mom – or any other primary caregiver – does, which can be measured and calculated, and the value of being someone’s Mom, which is pretty much priceless.
Put aside the whole “I gave birth to you and spent X-number of hours in labor” argument. Yes, that’s a big deal (I know; I’ve done it three times), however there are fabulous Moms and Stepmoms out there who didn’t give birth to their children, but did raise them.
How do you measure the worth of cuddling, and kissing boo-boos, and setting boundaries, and cheering them on at dance recitals and soccer games, and asking how their day at school went? How do you put a price on all the daily encouragements – big and small – that you give as they go from little babies to adults you can be proud of?
It’s interesting how many highly accomplished people – George Washington, Thomas Edison, Pablo Picasso – credit Mom for what they achieved. Abraham Lincoln said that “All that I am or ever hope to be, I owe to my angel Mother.” The anthropologist Jane Goodall said that her Mom told her she could achieve anything she wanted to if she put her mind to it. “I am always grateful for that,” she added.
I hope you have a wonderful Mother’s Day this weekend. If Mom is no longer around, spend some time cherishing her memory. If she lives far away, give her a call. And if you are lucky enough to have her nearby, spend some time with her. Do lunch, take in a movie, or maybe plant a garden. There is no one in the world quite like her and, despite the best efforts of Insure.com, no way you can truly pay her what she’s worth.
Happy Mother’s Day,
Misti