SAHM or Working Mom?

Growing up, I never understood SAHM's. Why in the world would you want to stay at home, clean the house, take care of the kids, do all the errands, appts, groceries and cook dinner & take care of your husband when he comes home? And be COMPLETELY dependent on your husband?! It was beyond me, and I swore that would never be me.
Here I am now, with a 4 year old, and how my outlook of the world has changed! I love nothing more than to be home bonding with my child, ensuring her safety, development, and giving to her what so few kids have nowadays. I love to be home when my husband comes home from a hard day of work, with a hot plate of food and be a supportive constant. The housework isn't bad cause you keep up with it. I found I love cooking, but for the days I don't, my crockpot or a ready made meal are just as good. I realize he's just as dependent on me as I am on him. It's a partnership. He's completely supportive of me returning to school and the workforce to pursue my goals when I'm ready as well.

I definitely want to be a SAHM! It has been a lifelong dream for me. My husband also wants me to stay at home. Right now we are still just TTC #1, but I am currently the breadwinner as an elementary school teacher. So once my hubby gets a full time job and our first baby comes, I aim to be a SAHM. I have no idea how we will financially survive if my hubby doesn't have a job yet, but I have no desire to work with a tiny baby, and our child is worth every luxury we'll give up.

I will be a working mom because I am the bread winner in the family, although my husband has his own career. We both had stay-at-home moms when we were young (my mom went to work when we went off to school) but feel that part of what we can offer our kids comes from our experiences as well. Financially my husband could stay at home, however, he would have to decide that, because I would never force him to give up his dreams. Personally, I am not sure I could stay at home every day-I would get bored. However, I will continue to work from home some of the time (as I do now), but will be traveling for my job too. We have made an agreement that if our children have any special needs that one of us will stay at home to care for them.

I think it is a personal choice for each person to find a balance. I have seen both work successfully with other friends of mine. Some days I do think that being a SAHM would be much more enjoyable than the corporate rat-race...but I really love my work.

I have always wanted to be a stay-at-home-mom with my children. I have even discussed it with my husband, and he agrees that when we plan for kids, it could be a great thing to do. I made the decision a long time ago that I would, as long as my husband was ok with it and we could be supported without me working as well. I just remember when I was a kid, I really wished I could have had my mother with me at home. She worked 16 hour days and 2 jobs as a nurse, and only had one day off a week. I know she did it just to make ends meet so I could have a good life, but I still missed spending the time with her.

I stopped working to be a SAHM. I had been working for 4 and 1/2 years for the same company trying to get a promotion. My oldest daughter got really sick, she had a tumor on her spinal cord at the base of her neck, it was paralyizing her. I took a month off of work to be with her in the hospital. My job called me everyday wanting to know when I was coming back. My first day back at work I handed in my resignation. I determined my family was more important.

I have no regrets in my decision to become a SAHM, there are times I get bored but I never think about going to work. I will go walk my dogs at the park or visit a museum. I LOVE being able to be there if my kids need me and even if they don't.

I would say do it, become a SAHM. What hurt me the most was when I missed my youngest take her first steps because I was at work. I decided that I never wanted to miss another one of my childrens moments. But being as I have 4 there are times that the schedules conflict and I can't be with one of them but I still try to be the best SAHM I can be.

I love being a SAHM. I never thought I would get to be a mom at all let alone a SAHM. My son is 8mos and he has never seen a babysitter for more than 3 hours and that was just his Aunt. I had my doubts at first because I stopped working at 7mos and I thought I was going to go insane but once he arrived the thought of me going back vanished!! We have had to make plenty of sacrifices like many other families have in these hard times but my son's well being and our relationship having a solid bond far outweigh a new car or TV any day.