I want the nanny's job

This probably sounds pretty backward, but I want the nanny's job. Think about it. I could hang out with my son, sing songs, play games, go to the park, fold adorable hot laundry, all while collecting a paycheck. Does this mean I want to give our nanny up? HELL NO! I'd go insane without the 10 hours of relief she provides each week. But the point I'm trying to make is that she gets paid for doing the same job that I don't.

I know I'm supposed to be fulfilled by this noble notion that I've forgone a steady paycheck (and most of my career momentum) to bring up the next generation. It's the choice I've made and I'm happy with it (most of the time). But in today's society, worth is measured by how high you climb on the corporate ladder. I don’t think that it’s the bonuses, raises, or fat pay checks, that keep so many moms in the workforce (although those things certainly make life comfortable), I think it’s really about what those things represent--external validation, which I’m realizing just doesn’t exist if you’re staying home. Which makes me think that even if I got paid 25 percent of what I used to make in the workforce taking care of my own kid, maybe I too would feel like I put in a good day’s work, and someone might say, "good job" or "thank you."