And I used to be...

No, never...i dont think that the job you held has anything to do with your IQ. I have met some very dumb "clever" people.

Depending on the type of people im with i will slip in "oh yea, i used to do this...."
But dont feel i need to do it IYKWIM - just gives us something to talk about

Yup, when I'm talking to non-baby people I often feel like saying I'm an at home mum makes me seem completely uninteresting and not very smart.

What you guys are doing is the most important job there is - raising little people into good big people. Your children are our future, and it's such a hard job. I remember a geek friend of mine doing a 'cost exercise' on what it would cost him for his wife to be a SAHM mum ...the danger pay, the 24hr/7 day salary, the wide skill-range required (from home stuff to often budgeting and planning stuff to chef), the stress pay, the ACC levies (falling over kids and kid associated things) ...all sorts. When he put it all together it was HUGE!

Hehe gandt ...I know a few of those people

I love that Bee - will have to rememeber for use later on.

What I hate is conversations that go:
"So, are you a full-time mum?"
duh! 6yo, 2yo and 6mth old in tow! "Yes."
"What did you do before kids?" OR "When are you going back to work?" OR "What do you think you'll do when you go back to work?"

Its like my life stopped when I left the workforce! I've been a SAHM since Kiya was born, and I've never been happier. I truely believe being a mum was what I was born to be, and I have no intention of going back to work in the next 5 years - and a husband who supports me there!

I am now working full time, I love reading this thread and the admiration I have for you mothere that stay at home. I feel like I am missing out on so much. We live in AKL and I didn't nab a man that earnt a good wage...bugger.

LillyandElla wrote: daikini wrote: I've never been happier. I truely believe being a mum was what I was born to be, and I have no intention of going back to work in the next 5 years - and a husband who supports me there! I total agree with you! I don't plan on going back to work untill the girls are 5 or if we have another when they are 5 ! -and a husband who supports me

I totally agree too! I don't want to go back to work until until we are done having children and they are in school and even then I'd only want to go back part time.

amy wrote: I am now working full time, I love reading this thread and the admiration I have for you mothere that stay at home. I feel like I am missing out on so much. We live in AKL and I didn't nab a man that earnt a good wage...bugger.

I just want to say (without being rude or pushy) that my DH got his first full-time job (since we got married) last week. We budgetted really hard but one of those years we lived off Student Allowance and me earning $50/week, and DH did some cash jobs on Saturdays when he could. A lot of people don't realise that it is possible to cut expenses if you are willing to shape down the lifestyle on account of choices.

But... please hear me right. I'm not out to make a SAHM vs working mums fight at all. You gotta do what you gotta do, and I know working mums love their kids just as much as SAHMs!

Edited by busymum

Ah, jump in, Amy! 

Yeah it's an interesting one - I'm a firm believer that we make choices to either be SAHM's or working mums, and women in both camps need just as much support and admiration.  But I don't like hearing people say that they "had" to go back to work - no, you chose to, to provide for your family (or whatever reason).  You don't have to justify that choice to anyone.  Just as a SAHM mum shouldn't have to justify that either. 

And yep, Busymum, I've heard myself saying "...I used to be a social worker" like that added more interest to the conversation or something.  It's ironic really, because most people would probably prefer talk about how mashed carrot stains everything and what to use on nappy rash, over a talk about that job!!  He he.