SAHM’s

I'm wondering if I am the only mum here who stays at home with only one child over 2? Ella is almost 2.5 years.. anyone else only have one child who is older than her and stays at home?
We're not having another one *yet* either.

When I was pregnant with Ella I decided that I would stay at home with her.. didn't have a timeframe in mind of when I would go back to work, and still don't. Lately I have been getting comments and hints that I don't do anything. ha.. I don't do any paid work regularly (I am slowly working on a paid design job but no rush) but am always busy doing all sorts of things, mainly for others.

I admit to being old fashioned! When I was little, most mums stayed at home.. I want to be there to watch my daughter grow up, and to raise her. I'm sick of trying to justify myself to others..

Rant over.. oh and I'm not taking a dig at mum's who work either, this is just what I've decided for our family.

If we find we can manage the budget I would prefer not to go back to work until our last child is school. Both B and I grew up with SAHM's.

I dont plan on working full time until the kids are at home, I only work 9 hours now and even when they are at school i will only work if its school hours and I can take time off for school things like sports days etc... at this stage we are lucky enough i can pick and choose like that and fingers crossed it stays that way. I want to be an involved parent, the one that goes on school camps and helps out etc...

same here jax, i'd love to stay home and watch mikey grow up but i think DP wants be to go back to work ASAP.
actually i think i'm being unfair in saying that, he's never said "you should go back to work" but he's hinted.

maria-i can't believe someone has actually said that you should do some "real work"!! whoever said that obviously has never stayed at home and looked after young children before.

LMAO at the "get a real job" comment! I'm a working Mum (on leave but still a working Mum) and I take my hat off to all the SAHM's - I couldn't do it, I would go stark raving mad! My Mum was a SAHM and she was so good at it,but it is such a hard job! My 'paid' job is easier any day - you SAHM's are legends! I would be terrified - even the thought of having Maya off preschool for a month over christmas kind of gives me cold sweats!

I had always thought I would take up something part time when Charlotte started at nursery school- as it turned out I got pregnant pretty much as soon as she started so it seemed a bit pointless. Although, to be honest I don't know if I would have even if I hadn't of got pregnant! I love being at home with her and we have even decided that once both kids are at school I will only get a part time job so it means I can drop them off and pick them up- go on school trips etc. My job now is to be the best Mum I can and for me that is being really hands on and involved.

I think you do get alot of pressure to go back to work once the kids get to a certain age- woman are expected to do it all now days. Its like people think if you work too much you shouldn't have kids just for other people to raise and if you don't work then you're a lazy bludger. People are always going to judge- it would be awful for you to be pressured into going back to work before your ready and then having that guilt just because of what other people (who have nothing to do with your family) thought.

I'm a sahm for our three kids, I'm kind of lucky hubby is really old fashioned and as we both had sahm's we felt we wanted the same for our kids. It's works well for us as we don't have anyone to look after the kids if they are sick and I don't have to worry about constantly taking time off work. We are incredibly lucky that hubby has a well paid job that allows me to stay home otherwise things may have been different.

I also constantly get comments about when am I going back to work but after nine years I can quite easily ignore them now. I will admit to worrying about what the heck I am going to do when the kids grow up being out of the work force so long. No one has to justify themselves for the decisions they have made I believe everyone is different and you do what you have to do for the sake of your family. I have just as much respect for working mum's as I do for sahm's.

I would love to b a SAHM but have been back at work since Piper was 2 months old as our finances couldnt stretch to me staying home with the mortgage and everything else, I have a very good friend that looks after her which makes it a bit easier for my peace of mind knowing she is with someone she knows really well

I must say I absolutely love being a SAHM! I completely admire those girls that have gone back to work, I went back to work when Olivia was about 8 weeks old and it lasted for about 10 weeks and I just couldn't handle it anymore, being away from my baby was hell. I am such a sook. That and hubby said that I could and we got more money on family assistance anyways!
I don't want Olivia to go into child care IMO, if I can look after my child then I should do it. I do need to go back to work at some stage though... I just haven't decided when!

I have had a million jobs and SAHM is the toughest - without a doubt - no days off, 24/7 hours. no sick days, no holiday pay, in fact no pay at all! And your boss is 2ft tall and highly egocentric. Lovely! Like to see how many people would apply for THAT if advertised.

I am going a little crazy being a SAHM acually. I'd love to get out and get a part time job but with lewis' hours being all over the place, and I am studying to be a high school teacher, so have a course in March and 6 week placement in may to do. I may do some relief work next year, which would suit me well. i can work around lewis' schedule (he's a bar manager) and get some out-of-the-house time as well.

One of the best things I have ever done is institue the "day off". Every Thursday morning is my "day off" and I take off with the car leaving lewis to the boys/ Absolutely brilliant! Although the first couple of tiems I felt really guilty!

as for going back to work, When Taine turns 3 and is eligible for that free 20 hours coming in, I will probably go back to full-time work. saying that, we have also talked about having another baby around that time, or maybe a year later, so who knows. We are extremely lucky in that our house is rent free - so we don't have huge rental costs to worry about, although we are planning to save for a house once i work.