One of the aspects of being a stay-at-home parent that sticks out to me is the physicality of it all. Maybe it is my personality, but I always preferred intellectual over physical pursuits. During recess in school, I was much more interested in reading a book than running for my life in dodgeball.

My first “real” job was working at McDonalds with its food prep (is it really cooking?) and sweeping. But even there, I gravitated toward the most sedentary task—perching myself the window of drive-through where I took orders and gave change.

The worst job I ever did was “light industrial” work in the Emporium warehouse opening dusty, cardboard boxes and performing hunched-over, physically repetitive activities. Not to be dramatic, but I thought I would die. Others had worked there for years. I made it one week.

If you don’t know, teaching college is only one-third standing in front of the class. The other two-thirds is tucked behind a desk either prepping or grading. I do massive amounts of reading. It’s awesome.

Back to parenting, unfortunately, you can not think your way through it. As a Mom, you physically carry a baby inside you for 9 months and then physically tote around an infant for several years. The work is 90% physical—wiping, cooking, cleaning, stooping and carrying. Laundry and dishes stretch out to the horizon. Sure there’s all kinds of books about the 10% of talking to and reading to your kids, trying to convince them to become good people. The rest is just work.