And what is is that you do, Dearie?

I just saw this post on a major homeschool vendor's Facebook Page. Presumably, is in answer to people who look at homeschool moms when they are out and about and they ask what you do. This is the answer:

"WHAT DO I DO?"

"I am the administrator/instructor of an exclusive, multi-grade academy designed for the express purpose of enhancing genius and maximizing potential in a select group of creative children.  And what do you do, Dearie?"

I guess this might be funny if it weren't so sad. It is meant to be funny and to show that a homeschooling mom is worth more than...than what? Than the lady at the bank? At Wal-Mart? The receptionist at the doctor's office?   Is in meant to insinuate that their job that is not near as important as a stay-at-home homeschooling mom's job? Is it meant to  "put them in their place" as it were, because they think the homeschooling mom's job is not valuable  because she doesn't get a paycheck?

The problem with this is, and why I don't find it even remotely funny, is something that my mom taught me when I was a young child,

 "You don't make yourself big, by making others look small."

Why do we have to make ourselves look big? Why are we so fragile and bothered that most of the folks in our culture seem to equate importance with a paycheck? Why do we feel the need to make others think we are important by giving ourselves big important sounding jobs?

I really don't get it. We all have jobs to do. We are all part of society and play our part. God made each of us in his image, is it really important that I try to prove how important I really am? Or that I think I am?

If someone asks, "What do you do, Dearie?" can't we just say that we homeschool our kids, smile and ask them to have a nice day? Perhaps we could ask them if their family is doing OK? Can we be a bit gentle with each other and not try to top each other? I have to believe when someone asks that question that they really want to know what we do.

 Let us be gracious and kind as we tell them about the joy of educating our children and then ask them what gives them joy.

Take care,
Jill