Ladies, how do you feel about being a stay at home mom/wife?

Same as I do about stay at home Dad. Equal opportunity folks. If you have kids and they are in school what are your choices.

This was a topic my (now ex) boyfriend's mother and I got into once. She was a stay at home mom for a really long time (I believe around 18-20 years) and I was raised with both parents working. She (and her son) had a difficult time understanding why women would give up staying at home with their children to have a career. In her case, they were financially stable enough for her to stay home and raise their 4 kids. My parents weren't financially stable and required us to be in day care or have babysitters after school. I went into day care at 6 weeks old and to be honest, I enjoyed it. I got to socialize with kids my age and made me value the time I had with my parents more.

That being said, for me, I'm a worker. I was raised to be independent and that includes being finacially independent. I have a degree in writing and if it were possible, I would LOVE to stay at home and be a writer while raising my kids. But the realistic side of me knows I would crave adult conversation, so I would need some time to myself (in the form of a job). I'm waiting to hear from grad school for library science as my career path. I suppose if I had a dream world, I would work part time at a library and spend the rest of the time raising my kids and writing. The best of both worlds

OP: I was at home with my children for thirteen years. I would not recommend doing the same. Should you decide to re-enter the workforce, your intelligence, ambition, work ethic, and motivation will be called into question. While I found a decent-paying entry level job at a large company that I like well enough, there are many people who are prejudiced against women who choose not to participate in the work force. Be forewarned!

OP: I was at home with my children for thirteen years. I would not recommend doing the same. Should you decide to re-enter the workforce, your intelligence, ambition, work ethic, and motivation will be called into question. While I found a decent-paying entry level job at a large company that I like well enough, there are many people who are prejudiced against women who choose not to participate in the work force. Be forewarned!

I agree with the above poster. Lots of young wizards are now in the workforce with fancy degrees that are willing to work for less

I also always wondered what would happen if the husband decides to take off, or if some health issues or disability made him impossible to earn a living. I loved my independence and the fact that I also contributed big time to everything that we now have, and that because I also worked out of the house we were able to help our kids when they needed the help, and I secured my old age with my savings.

But we need to do what we think that is best for us. For me, it was getting my degree while the kids where at school, working, and getting to be independent and self sufficient. I don’t regret a thing.

Being a stay at home mom was such an honor and a privilege. It was something I would never trade, financially it was not a fun thing but worth every single moment. I am not going to lie, I think staying home is more difficult than working. I have done both and going to work was easier for me, maybe not for others, but for me it was, staying home was hard emotionally at times. But man you only get that privilege for a short time, if you can at all, I would encourage you to try

To each their own, but it is absolutely not for me - I spent way too long getting an education and building a successful career to give it up. And I want to be a productive member of society, I would not be ok with my husband supporting me and not contributing myself.

raising a child is being a productive member of society.

I find it weird that society would view being a stay at home parent as not contributing. Raising the next generation is a vitally important job. Also it's weird if someone who gets paid to look after other people's kids, e.g. nanny, nursery nurse, gets a high social status because he or she is working (as in getting a salary) while someone who does the exact same thing but with their own kids and not getting paid for it, is considered to be "not contributing" and looked down upon by others.

I'm cool either way, re stay at home parent, working parent(s)... whatever works for the family (and no reason why it has to be the mum that stays at home if the dad wants to and she wants to work) - I also think a lot more people would be stay at home parents if they could afford it.

To each their own, but it is absolutely not for me - I spent way too long getting an education and building a successful career to give it up. And I want to be a productive member of society, I would not be ok with my husband supporting me and not contributing myself.

raising a child is being a productive member of society.

I find it weird that society would view being a stay at home parent as not contributing. Raising the next generation is a vitally important job. Also it's weird if someone who gets paid to look after other people's kids, e.g. nanny, nursery nurse, gets a high social status because he or she is working (as in getting a salary) while someone who does the exact same thing but with their own kids and not getting paid for it, is considered to be "not contributing" and looked down upon by others.

I'm cool either way, re stay at home parent, working parent(s)... whatever works for the family (and no reason why it has to be the mum that stays at home if the dad wants to and she wants to work) - I also think a lot more people would be stay at home parents if they could afford it.

this all feels like a crazy joke. Raising children is not a job, it is part of the family cycle. Yes, it is hard work but I think SAHM seriously give themselves WAY TOO MUCH CREDIT, when there are moms who work...and still do the laundry, make the meals, grocery shop, change the diapers, play with toys, clean up, blahblahblah. Now those moms I give much credit to.

To each their own, but it is absolutely not for me - I spent way too long getting an education and building a successful career to give it up. And I want to be a productive member of society, I would not be ok with my husband supporting me and not contributing myself.

raising a child is being a productive member of society.

I find it weird that society would view being a stay at home parent as not contributing. Raising the next generation is a vitally important job. Also it's weird if someone who gets paid to look after other people's kids, e.g. nanny, nursery nurse, gets a high social status because he or she is working (as in getting a salary) while someone who does the exact same thing but with their own kids and not getting paid for it, is considered to be "not contributing" and looked down upon by others.

I'm cool either way, re stay at home parent, working parent(s)... whatever works for the family (and no reason why it has to be the mum that stays at home if the dad wants to and she wants to work) - I also think a lot more people would be stay at home parents if they could afford it.

this all feels like a crazy joke. Raising children is not a job, it is part of the family cycle. Yes, it is hard work but I think SAHM seriously give themselves WAY TOO MUCH CREDIT, when there are moms who work...and still do the laundry, make the meals, grocery shop, change the diapers, play with toys, clean up, blahblahblah. Now those moms I give much credit to.

So, have you ever been a SAHM?

To each their own, but it is absolutely not for me - I spent way too long getting an education and building a successful career to give it up. And I want to be a productive member of society, I would not be ok with my husband supporting me and not contributing myself.

raising a child is being a productive member of society.

I find it weird that society would view being a stay at home parent as not contributing. Raising the next generation is a vitally important job. Also it's weird if someone who gets paid to look after other people's kids, e.g. nanny, nursery nurse, gets a high social status because he or she is working (as in getting a salary) while someone who does the exact same thing but with their own kids and not getting paid for it, is considered to be "not contributing" and looked down upon by others.

I'm cool either way, re stay at home parent, working parent(s)... whatever works for the family (and no reason why it has to be the mum that stays at home if the dad wants to and she wants to work) - I also think a lot more people would be stay at home parents if they could afford it.

this all feels like a crazy joke. Raising children is not a job, it is part of the family cycle. Yes, it is hard work but I think SAHM seriously give themselves WAY TOO MUCH CREDIT, when there are moms who work...and still do the laundry, make the meals, grocery shop, change the diapers, play with toys, clean up, blahblahblah. Now those moms I give much credit to.

So, have you ever been a SAHM?

no, because i plan on being a mom who also puts the bacon on the damn table! there are so many cons of being a SAHM and I honestly can't believe how many people are in support of it, what a lack of ambition, way to **** on all your dreams and set a lazy example for your kids

not to mention it is so hard to re-enter the work force, so good luck with that.

Hey, we put the bacon on the table! Literally! Really though, why so much hostility toward something you have no clue about?

As for setting a lazy example, not hardly in this house! My children see me run around all day doing things for them, their father, our home, and for our church. I'm sure there are some lazy women who sit around all day and watch soaps. But I'm not one of them. If our husbands don't mind earning all the money, why should that bother you or anyone else?

OP: I was at home with my children for thirteen years. I would not recommend doing the same. Should you decide to re-enter the workforce, your intelligence, ambition, work ethic, and motivation will be called into question. While I found a decent-paying entry level job at a large company that I like well enough, there are many people who are prejudiced against women who choose not to participate in the work force. Be forewarned!

This.