How many of you are stay-at-home moms?

I met my husband in college and just after I graduated we got pregnant. We were actually only engaged at the time and got married a year earlier than we had planned because of our surprise. I had plans to start applying for teaching jobs and continue my education for my masters degree, but after our son was born we agreed that it was best for me to stay at home to raise him. We are pregnant again, another surprise (I was on birth control both times), and we are extremely happy. I do still struggle with watching local teaching positions slip by and putting my education on hold because it was something I'd worked so hard towards and wanted for so long (I was the first person in my family to go to college, and my family is huge so it was a big deal). Any other stay-at-home moms out there? Other than mothering and doing housework, what do you do for yourself and when do you find the time to do it?

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33%

 (18) 

I am a full time stay-at-home mom, and I love it!

25%

 (14) 

I am a full time stay-at-home-mom, but I need some ME time!

12%

 (7) 

I work part time.

27%

 (15) 

I work full time.

54 Members voted

[alikat1205]

i am a full time stay at home mom.  i have two girls, 13 and 6 and worked full time after i had my oldest, and went to part time after my 6 year old was born.  after katrina (we're from new orleans) my husband had to transfer to a job out of state, so i quit altogether.  so i have been "retired" for 3 years now.  i hate it and i'm ready to go back.  ideally, i'd take a part time job, but i'll take full time if i can find it.  

however, my 6 year old has heard of my plan and voiced her disapproval! she said but mommy who will take me to my playdates or read stories to my class?  hah, but i think they'll do just fine without me!

for fun, i do volunteer alot at school, i am a member of junior league, i belong to a book club and i do some pro bono work (i'm an attorney).  

[Quinns momma]

I am home but do work full time from my home office. So I have the best of both worlds but also the worst. It is difficult somedays to give Quinn the attention she needs and also get all of my work done. I love it though and while I always see myself working I never see myself working outside of the home again.

[YoungMom130]

My husband would really prefer me to wait until our children are in school before trying to find a teaching position. Since I am certified as a specialty teacher (art) I could potentially find a part time job so that I could spend the majority of my time with our children, but also maintain my goals and have them exposed to other children. A tug-of-war with what is best. For now I do a lot of sewing projects and send them to Florida where my mother-in-law sells them in a gallery, it's just what I would like to be doing with my time.

[Whitneylauren]

I am a full time stay at home mom. I too gave up school to take care of my family. After I got my bachelors, though, we decided that it would be best if I stayed with our son. It was absolutely the most positive decision we could have made for our family. Our son, who has PDD-NOS, blossomed after I began to stay home. He is a happier and much more secure child now that I am home with him.
It was interesting to see this new post because just yesterday I was complaining to my husband that I needed some space from the 3 year old. I believe I said, "You don't know what it is like to have a person on top of you, literally, all day long... everyday. Plus I am pregnant so I share my body with another person!"
To combat the boredom and the monotony I taught myself to knitt, am an avid reader, I cook everything from scratch, and twice a week, when our son goes to preschool, I go out and do things for myself. I also take a Birkam Yoga class 3 times a week...


If you want you could substitute a few times a month. It is great for some extra money, and you still get to spend the majority of time home with your kids. Is there an hourly daycare around you? If so, I would make use of it once a week and go have personal time!

[pertykitty]

i put i stay home and love it but of course we all need some me time.  but that is just moments here and there, i dont need hours.  but as my dd gets a bit older i can then look into the option of work or staying home.  i feel as long as she is not in school i want to be here for her.  i missed that with my son working and even though he has turned out to be a bright and funny and wonderful person, i regret i didnt get more time with him in his early years.

[91004]

I am a single mother of 2, so I work full time and go to school full time(online).

[mommaof4ormore]

I am a stay at home mom and I too love it, there are times when I would like to not have someone needing or demanding something from me. I have a almost 6 yr old son, 4 yr old son, and a 9 months today daughter. I am still nursing her and so I feel my day is filled with meeting her needs and then trying to make sure my boys don't feel left out. I home school both boys and that has is good points and bad ones. I have discovered that I have a gift for decorating cakes. I volunteered to do the one for my parents 50th wedding anniversary and it turned out so good that a month later I was hired by a friend to do her inlaws 40th wedding anniversary cake. I made $100. My DH was so proud that he made me business cards to hand out. I am kind of excited because it is something I can do from home and help out a little. My DH is only a teacher so money is always tight, but God helps provide for us. So I hope I can always be a SAHM for that was always my dream.
Brandy

[YoungMom130]

To: Whitneylauren

You are fortunate to have a little time to yourself! I really appreciate your response. My husband is a teacher and we are in the process of moving into our first home, so things have been even more overwhelming than usual around here. Our toddler has an ear infection, and I am 33 1/2 weeks pregnant with our second child. In the evenings when DH gets home from work I chip away at my sewing, but out of obligation, not joy. My mother-in-law purchased the costly machine for me as a gift after my son was born to keep myself busy and making some sort of income. I miss reading, taking showers in peace, and getting out of the house a bit more than I do. We are moving closer to my parents, so I think getting out will be a little easier by having them close to watch DS once in awhile, and soon DD as well. Don't get me wrong, I love being a stay at home mom and I think it's what is best for my children, I just sometimes feel as though I'm losing myself in the monotony of things and I don't make enough time for me, which is important.

To: brandy_bodiford

I understand money being tight, my husband is also a teacher, a wonderful teacher; however, living on one income is difficult, especially when we both have college loans to pay off, we're moving into a new house, and I'm paying on my braces for my teeth! Soon we'll be diapering another child while potty training our first, and keeping track of where all pennies are going is important and stressful. I sew in the evenings (between cooking, dishes, and laundry) to bring in a bit more income, but it gets monotonous. At least with cake decorating you get variety! I have orders in for specific tote bags that I make and send to Florida, and though the money is a blessing and need, I get tired of making the same thing with different fabric over and over and over again. There are other things that I'd like to be making, always like trying something new- new quilt patterns, stockings for Christmas gifts, etc.! Good luck with decorating cakes, how wonderful of your husband to be so supportive of your newfound talent!
  

[becca_3456]

I am a stay at home mom and I love it!! Watching DD grow is AMAZING, she is learning so fast and is way to smart for being only 15 months old:) I just finished pumping milk for DD (she weaned herself when she was 7 1/2 months old and I continued to pump until now) I now feel like I finally am getting back to my old self. I see some other ladies trying for #2 or #3 and I think I must be selfish because I have NO desire to have another baby at least not for 5 or more years. I just want to enjoy my first DD and focus on her alone. I love staying home and being able to watch her grow everyday. I am very blessed and I thank God everyday that I am able to do what I do.

[suzi-q]

I am a teacher...a full time career!  But with great perks with summers off etc....however, even if I could be a stay at home mom, it is totally not for me...I am not my best when I am not working....For my child to have a happy mommy and a fulfilled mommy, I need to be a working mommy!

[GRose]

I am home during the day with my son and I got to work 5 to 6 days a week at night. I love being home with my son but at the same time I love being able to get away to work.

[tiredbuthappy]

Hi!
I am a teacher and agree with suzi-q: if you gotta be a fulltime working mom, it's one of the best jobs you can have. I don't know how happy i'd be at home, but I am happy working and having the extra income. i do know that i loved having the summer home with DD and look forward to the next break. not relying on one income greatly reduces stress in the home as well.

Here's my advice- good teaching jobs are actually not as easy to come by as one might think. I know of many of my friends who struggled for years to find one. And by good, i mean in a good, public school district. If your husband works in a public school, then you know what i mean by the benefits. and while a teacher's salary isn't that much, it's much higher in public schools than private. There are MANY applicants for each position. When I applied for my job, there were over 100 resumes sent in for the 1 position!  So, all of that being said, I would apply to jobs that look interesting and good. If you get offered an interview, then you get good interview practice. If you get offered a job, then you have to make a decision. You can always examine what they offer and decide to say no thanks. And like you said, art does not have to be fulltime, which would leave more time for the kiddies.

There is one more thing to think about- one concern is that you don't have any experience under your belt (well, you didn't mention any). There needs to be something that makes you stand out above the other applicants. Have you considered doing some private art lessons for kids for a little extra income and experience to put on your resume? You could be very flexible with scheduling and do it when your hubby is available to watch the kids. just a thought :)

[CYW]

i was a full-time stay at home mom and i loved it. i started school back in sept and i have 3 weeks left and looking for a job now. I am a single mom so i cannot manage on assistance.

[YoungMom130]

I very much appreciate your response to my poll and post. You're right, I don't have much experience to boast about on a resume. I have held 2 long-term sub positions since January of 06 that went very well, I have taught at an art camp hosted by the local state college, and I'm a mom (changed my thoughts about children and the classroom, also made me a much more effective multi-tasker). We live in a very rural area, and art jobs are few and far between here. It pains me to see art positions becoming available where I have some ties and know they might slip by if I choose to stay at home. Using my education is extremely important to me. If I choose to stay at home with my children it's a selfless act, and I may miss out on ever doing what I really want to do as a career in this area (we're settled here because of my husbands job, new house, and my family being close). That would also mean that I would have to freeze my certificate so I wouldn't continue wasting it away before meeting my ACT 48 requirements or finding employment. So many things to weigh and consider. I appreciated your post and even shared it with my husband, this is something we discuss almost daily. Hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving and Christmas break with your DD. I know my son greatly looks forward to his daddy time.

[40smama]

I was a music teacher both publicly and privately for 15 years but retired after a nasty car wreck.  Now I basically stay at home although I work part-time from home & help out in my husband's pharmacy.  I didn't stay at home w/my other children except when they were very little so it's been interesting to be at home so much w/my new baby although quite difficult after being a working mommy.  Staying at home is much more difficult than I thought it would be but I won't complain - it's been fun to be w/him and be there for my 15 year old daughter although sometimes it gets monotonous (sp?).  I get some help but it's mainly so I can get my work done.  Every so often, my MIL takes the baby for a couple of hours so I can take a quick nap or just relax which is nice. I'm very lucky that she's willing to that and even seems to enjoy being w/her grandchild (new experience for me - another long story).

[kikicoates78]

I work part-time for now, my kids are 14, and 9. I also am finishing up another nursing degree, I am however 15 weeks PG with our new little bundle and I will stay home after the birth for the first couple of years at least. I love being a mommy, but I also love being a nurse, I will probly go back part-time when I do go back :)

[Quinns momma]

I work at home in the medical field and there are many companies that are looking for RN's to do medical necessity reviews from the comfort of their own home. So if ever in need of some extra bucks it is an idea.

[heatherlynn22]

i haven't worked in a year....but i'm going back to bartending on friday. i love being a stay at home mom but with two infants working a few days a week will be nice me time.

[amberd5191]

I was a stay at home mom (6 years) and student. Luck would have it I got a job 2 months before my husband lost his job. I miss it; but in today's economy I couldn't imagine not working to survive.

[YoungMom130]

congrats on the job!

[vsentz]

Well... before getting  pregnant the first time (lost a baby first) I always considered myself a career woman, a professional, ambicious one that would NEVER give up her job to stay at home with a crying baby! never!...

NOW... after losing my first child, after suffering 2 years of infertility and after giving birth to my own heart, only with feet of its own (my dear daughter), ALL IS DIFFERENT!... hehehe, i realized I am a mother first, then everything else. I live for her, I breathe for her and I smile and laugh... because of her!
I WISH with all my heart I could stay at home someday... I feel like I am missing so much on her... I feel, this years are NEVER gonna come back... EVER. So these 6 months being at work for 9 hrs, and away from her 10, everyday, and coming home just to put her to beddie... hurts me in the bottom of my heart...

='(

I WISH I could be a full time mommy to my angel on earth....

So, I am currently working something out with a person who owns his own business... and we might do a partnership here in the near future... I do web design.. and graphic also...., so I could EASILY work from home... =)

I hope to GOD this happens, so I could be with her (and not let some other random lady raise MY OWN child....)

argh.... hate it....

[7preg3b]

I am a stay at home mom and I do struggle with not using my degree.  I am an RN and would love to get my bachelors and midwife.  I love being home with my son. I worked when my other children were small and missed so much.  I do work now in home as a daycare provider.  I have 11 kids total, most are school age and 1- 9 month old.(whos napping) so I make better money being home than I would as a nurse.  I am state certified and love all my kids..  but 345 comes quick when they all come home..  

[NANIS77]

I am a stay at home mom to 3.And love it.I am a hair dresser & do some jobs,wgich pay better than working at a shop.

[NANIS77]

Sorry hit post comment to soon....I am very grateful that I CAN stay home with my kids.I have a teen son who I need to keep an eye on,a 9yr old starting a new school.And a toddler.I love staying home,but there are days that I NEED adult interaction.Not just toddler talk & the 'Backyardagins'..lol.But yes,I am also very thankfull to be able to watch my kids grow up & see there accomplished milestone.