Confessions of a Modern Day June Cleaver

There. I said it. No more hiding. I am a modern day June Cleaver. If I am being honest, I am more of a cross between June Cleaver and Roseanne. Claire Huxtable, I am not. Carol Brady, nope. To be fair, if I had Alice, I could be Carol. I take comfort in that I am at least better at this parenthood/wife thing than Peg Bundy.

At one point, I was completely self-sufficient. I had a job. I had an apartment that I shared with a friend and I paid all of my own bills. I knew what I had and I knew what I could spend. Then...I got married and was perfectly happy to split things including the responsibility. We had a budget and for the most part, we stuck to it. I was still working and helping out financially. Then...we had kids. Leo took over the bills and since I was no longer working, the money. I was overwhelmed being a stay at home mom so I gladly let him take over in that area. I remember feeling a huge weight lifted. I took care of all things "kids" (doctor's appointments, school stuff, holiday stuff (Santa and Easter Bunny duty), cooking and cleaning...really anything that wasn't sports or money related, was my responsibility). He took care of the money, bills, cars and outside stuff. It worked for us. I had a general idea of things but even back then, I saw my brain shutting off when it came to money things. Then.all of the medical stuff happened. I couldn't wrap my brain around taking care of three kids, two that had CF and one that had a bladder thing so away went  the "having a general idea." This is not an easy thing to admit since I consider myself a smart person and not knowing this stuff makes me feel dumb. Give me a teen and I'll get him/her to talk but this stuff...escapes me. People talk about refinancing and 401Ks and house insurance premiums and I sit and nod thinking: this hurts my brain.

Did you ever see June work on taxes? Did you ever see her fight with the insurance company over a bill they won't pay? Did you ever see June answer her door to find siding guys there trying to offer to replace hers and hear her say, "Yes, I'd like that done." Did you ever see June talk to landscaping guys over how much it was going to cost to clean up their yard and put a patio in? Have you ever seen her go into an appliance store and purchase something big without having Ward with her and did you ever see her catch a mouse? No, you did not and you won't see me doing any of those things either. The unfortunate thing for Leo is that you also won't see me baking a pie and I don't have my own meatloaf recipe with my own secret ingredient. I won't wear an apron or pearls while cleaning a toilet either. To be honest, I am not that great at the things June Cleaver did do which is why I have a cleaning lady 2x's a month and why I am a little like Roseanne, too.

I tried to be better and know what goes on in that area but I suck. Leo and I make jokes that his ultimate revenge on me giving him a hard time all the time is that something is going to happen and I'll be left not having a clue of what is going on. I said joke but it's really not funny. Each year, I vow that we are going to sit down and he's going to to show me everything and we do but just like when I am trying to tell him EVERYTHING that I do that he would have to if I go back to work and his eyes glaze over and he starts sweating, so do I. My head hurts and I feel like I am going to get sick. Once, after an unfortunate bout of memory loss on Leo's part and a bill wasn't paid, I said I was taking over paying the bills. Leo thought that was a great idea and instead of really taking over, I became the secretary having to mail things that were due and drop things off. Still not knowing what was going on, that didn't fly with me so I told him to forget it and put everything on "auto-pay".

You know the articles in magazines like the ones Suze Orman writes? I break out in a sweat when I come across them because I know she is talking about me. It's not smart to be June Cleaver in 2012. I know...how about I'll pay attention and help out with the money and running the house from a financial standpoint when Leo is willing to learn Gia's bedtime routine and take all the kids for their flu shots all while having to take Belle to dance and get dinner on the table. I'm sure he'd go for that.

So, tell me...who does the bills and taxes and is responsible for your family's financial well-being? Any other June Cleavers out there? Come out from hiding and let me know I am not the only one.