Are you a Stay at Home Mom or a Working Mom?

[mamabot]

There are pros and cons to both sides of this coin. Currently, I am working full time on top of my momly duties. When Brian was born, I took off 9 weeks from work, where I stayed until my job was moved to Rhode Island without me. A few months later, I got pregnant with Ali. Our finances were in better shape with me being a stay at home mom.

My stay at home gig lasted for two years. Going back to work was a very difficult decision for the whole family. Luckily, I found a job that has flexible hours. My boss is the best boss I have ever had. She understands the plight of the working mom. If I need to, I can work from home when one of the kids is sick.

How about the other moms? I know a few of you are stay at home moms. Not that there is anything wrong with that. I think it is harder to be a stay at home mom than a working mom.

[stinkerbell]

I've been at home full-time for the most part since June 2001.

I'm starting to substitute teach this week, starting on Tuesday. I'll be subbing Mondays and Tuesdays. I'm excited, scared, but eager to earn some spending cash.

I found a nanny for Chloe (sharing with another family in my neighborhood) two days a week, and Cassidy is in aftercare at school one day and is at her Spanish tutor on Monday after school, so that works out great. Courtney is going to try being home on her own.....it's just for an hour. She's never ridden a bus before...it's only 4 blocks.....I'm terrified about it, which is ridiculous. She'll be fine.

Being a stay-at-home mom is awesome and I fully appreciate being able to do it, but they're something to be said for having a savings account and to spend a little more freely.

Very timely thread, Michele!

[DivaPrincess]

I am a stay at home mom. I have lots of little projects to keep me busy and keep me from going insane - I perform as princesses for birthday parties, I do community theatre, I teach voice lessons and I'm currently building costumes for Cinderella and plan to open a small costume business out of my home. I love staying home with my girls - my Chloe starts school next year which is exciting and scary. It is always nice to get away, though.

I'm hoping I can get myself a more reliable car before she starts school so I can take her to my friend who is a principle's school. Sending her on the bus scares me to death. I will have sever anxiety if I have to send her on the bus.

[tracilicious]

I'm a stay at home mom, but I like to think that I work. I love being a SAHM, but I will eventually want to return to work. I'll probably stay at home while trying to do some classes online until bean (my nickname for baby-to-be) is in preschool, then I'll finish my associates and then go to acupuncture school. I'd like to always keep flexible semi part time hours so that I can be around for field trips and helping out with class and such.

I have a lot of respect for moms working out of the home. It must be very tough to do all the mom things and work and try and make enough time for everyone (including yourself!). When I was a teen a was a nanny for five kids seven hours a day whose mom didn't work. She would shop and get her hair done and whatever every day. That was odd. I'd love to have that once a week though.

The only real disadvantage I've found to staying at home is that Indi is not used to other people taking care of him at all. I haven't left him since he was about 5 mos old. I really need to get him used to someone soon so I can go out!

[SCUBAbe]

I work fulltime. My child is 14 though and does not require the amount of care a pre-scholler does. Well, she does, btu tin a different way. I have family member take her and pick her up from school. She has never been on a school bus. My work allows me time off to do school stuff...so thats pretty cool.

[dsnylndmom]

SAHM mom here, but probably not for that much longer, maybe Spring mayber Fall I'm not exactly sure :o I've stayed home since my oldest was born in 1994 but I went back to school fulltime in 96, graduated with my first degree, worked part time(my mom watched my son) & started on my second, got pg with my youngest, took some time off then finished my second degree in 2001, after that I worked for about 6 mths part time in 2002 but got really sick with asthma(hospitalized)so after that I didn't go back.

My boys are 6 & 10 so if I start back to work in the Fall they will both be in full time school, as it is right now my youngest is only in Kindergarten 3.5 hours a day.

My husband just started his own business so I will help him out with the books and computer work(he HATES the computer)for the next couple of months, once that's done I'll start looking for something else.

I love being able to stay home with the boys, it's going to be hard to go back to work full-time but it's getting to be time.

[torgo]

I am stay at home- Since my baby is only three weeks old I haven't had too much time at it yet, but I am a bit eagar to get out of the house! Before I had Clare I was working part time so I had lots of time to do stuff around my house and errands and of course now I have not time for any of that!

I am planning on staying home for a while and having another baby- if I can survive this baby. When my kids are older I don't know what I will do- get another degree maybe?

[baileykat]

Ok...first off ...how scary is it that we have all these names interchanging between us...Stinkerbell (Claire) has a Chloe as does Diva Princess, Torgo has a Clare..I have a Kassidy as does Stinkerbell...things like that always make me go hmmmm!

I'm a SAHM. I worked when I was pg with Bailey..when he was born I took 2 weeks off..then he went to work with me..(I had an extra office we made into a nursery.) I only worked part-time so it was wonderful, except for typing one-handed.
Quit working when he was 8 months..stayed home until Kat was about 9 months old. Worked for the next 3 years...then stayed home with Kat her last year before Kindergarten. I've worked totally part-time for my husband last year, but only when the kids were in school and basically when I wanted to (I wrote the schedule!)

Now I'm just SAHM 100%. I'm busy though! I can't remember what it was like when I didn't work...how did all this stuff get done! I do know we have lots more time on the weekends now to just hang out with the kids...no more housework or laundry on Saturday or Sunday. That's a rule!

I kinda miss having a paying job...miss having more money..but I know I'll never get these years back and as much as I used to enjoy going out to lunch everyday and shopping more...I love being home with the kids everyday much better!

[Wendy]

I'm a little bit of both. I work 'part-time' three days a week, but they are usually twelve hour days, which is closer to full-time. I have a daughter who is home-schooled and we have worked out schedules so one of us is with her at all times. My days 'off' are always very busy- anyone who thinks stay at home moms or dads just sit around on their derriere's is sadly mistaken. I go to work to relax!

[Mousey Girl]

I work full time. I would rather be a SAHM, but we need the extra income. My goal is to strike it rich and beable to work part-time somewhere I actually enjoy.