Dear stay-at-home moms,

Don’t fool yourselves.

Being a stay-at-home mom is not a full-time job.

Why?

Because it’s SO MUCH MORE.

It’s incomparable to a 9-5.

No, there are no board room meetings. There’s almost never a need for business casual attire. And the day is most often not filled with emails and phone calls.

But that doesn’t mean we are not doing work.

Don’t ever let anyone roll their eyes at you when you say you had a hard day. Don’t ever let someone who works at an office look down on the seemingly eventless days at home.

“What did you even do all day?” they ask.

Remind them and yourself: I raised a human.

Sometimes multiple humans.

AND—and that’s a big AND—

I cooked and fed.

I cleaned floors.

I wiped tears.

I read the same book over and over.

I rocked to sleep.

I ran errands.

I sat alone with my child as my only company.

I was patient through the tantrums.

I got everyone including myself dressed.

I looked through a million Pinterest boards trying to find some activity that my toddler would enjoy.

I felt the pressure of keeping a clean house, cooking healthy meals, being fun, being the disciplinarian, getting something “productive” done.

I did all this and more.

I do it all.

Being a stay at home mom means you do EVERYTHING, not nothing.

There’s no clocking out. There’s no turning off the mom switch. Even when they are in bed, you still worry about them. You still plan for the day ahead. Your world is intertwined with their very existence.

It’s the best and hardest job in the world and there is nothing like it. It can seem like you do nothing. Their little hands don’t clap for you. Their little mouths don’t affirm you out loud. But their little hearts know how much you love them. They do.

You are a teacher. You are a fighter. You are a caregiver. You are a mother. And there is nothing easy about what you do.

I see you.

I see the effort you put in day after day. I see your drained face. I see the smile you give your kids even when you’re so tired you can barely keep your own eyes open. I see the time you put into making food only to have almost none of it eaten. I see the tears from the time you yelled.

I see the dishes, but I see the baby who needed you more. I see you being pulled in a million directions. I see you researching everything late into the night. I see the loneliness. I see the guilt. I see the overwhelming happiness. I see the proud heart for your baby’s accomplishments. I see the snuggles and you holding onto every moment. I see the defending spirit. I see the joy.

You are seen, mama.

Motherhood can be a thankless job. But it’s the most important job anyone will ever have. It’s an all day, all night, every day, 24/7 job. A job that fully encompasses your soul and is part of your identity. A job you will never get monetarily compensated for. But you will get paid one day when your babies are big and out in the world living what you taught them.

Today, I thank you for all you do. We all do so much, whether we are working moms or stay-at-home moms. Pat yourselves on the back, mamas! Here’s to us.

This post originally appeared on the author’s blog

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