If you've been anywhere near a computer in the past 24 hours, you might have heard about the "World's Toughest Job" video that went viral.
If not, here's a quick recap: People were interviewed for a "director of operations" job over video chat and were told that the position would require a slew of intense requirements that no one would ever sign up for. After all of the requirements were listed—135-hour workweeks, no vacation time, standing 24/7, and no breaks ever, to name a few—interviewees were told the job wouldn't be for pay. Turns out, the interviewer was talking about motherhood and it was all for an ad for a greeting card company. Ba-da-bing! (You can watch it all here.)
No doubt the makers of the ad had the best intentions, and yes, motherhood is a lot of work. But I'm a mom, and I had to give this commerical the side-eye. Among other things, it suggests that motherhood is a job that no rational person would sign up for.
Call me crazy, but I love this job.
Recent studies have found that a growing number of women are choosing not to have children. It's great that women are able to decide whether motherhood is for them, but I can't help but think that commercials like this might be creating a culture of fear around having kids.
With that in mind, here are some of the issues I had with this ad (and the real deal from where I'm standing…apparently 24/7):
Moms Stand for 24 Hours a Day
I laughed out loud when I heard this one. I wish I could stand more. After sitting down at work for eight or so hours a day, I come home and sit on the carpet to play with my son. I sit down when I'm giving him his bath, changing his diaper, and reading him a bedtime story. I even started standing while eating dinner just to give my butt a break. You get the point.
Moms Don't Sleep—Apparently Ever
I got nine hours of sleep last night. Did you?
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Moms Don't Have Day Jobs
A recent analysis of Census Bureau data by the Pew Research Center found that nearly 30 percent of moms with children under the age of 18 now stay at home, but that means 70 percent of moms have a day job outside the home. Sure, there are times when it's hard to be a working mom, like when I stayed up all night when my son had the flu and still went to work the next day. But, please. I did that kind of thing before I had a baby, too. It just involved alcohol and dancing.
Dads Don't Count
If I was a dad, I'd be seriously miffed by this ad. Yes, some dads aren't active parents, but most of them, like most moms, are trying their hardest to be great parents. Stereotypes like this are doing a disservice to men, especially ones who are trying to figure out fatherhood. Especially when some of those men are known to, ahem, do 5:30 a.m. diaper changes so I can get a little more sleep.
Moms Don't Have a Life
OK, I don't go out clubbing much anymore—but I had segued more into the dinner party phase of my life before my son came around anyway. Plus, he's portable: Eighty percent of the time he's coming with me when I meet friends for dinner and a glass of wine. Really, not too much has changed. I just see the sunrise a little more these days.
MORE: The Counterintuitive Key to Work-Life Balance
Being a Mom Is a Thankless Job
I get to have a little body snuggled up against mine before bed and to watch him try to stick his finger in my husband's nose in the morning to wake him up. I also get to dress him up in hilarious outfits, like the time my husband and I put him in Christmas pajamas that matched ours (see the picture below!). Tell me that's thankless.
Being a Mom Is the Worst
Are you kidding? Being a mom is the best.
Korin Miller is a writer, SEO nerd, and mom to a little one-year-old dude named Miles. She has an unhealthy addiction to gifs.
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