GTKY: SAHM Forever?

[tomorrowisanotherday]

Do you ever plan on entering the workforce again? Why or why not?

[tomorrowisanotherday]

I would love to SAH long term, but I can't convince DH that it is necessary! I will most likely go back to teaching when LO is old enough to go to school. My dream would be to work at the school that he will be attending! I would really like to hear some perspective from moms with older LO'S on what the SAHM life is like. (My LO is my first and he is 3 months.)

[ashiscute]

I am a SAHM for now. I actually had an old co-worker message me the other day and say her work is hiring part time if I'm interested. Since this baby is due in two months I don't think it's a great time but part of me was disappointed. In another year or two I may think about doing part time but would not be interested in full time for awhile. I like being at home and being able to get my kids to things and not stressing at the end of a work day.

[penguin129]

tomorrowisanotherday I also would love to have DD go to the same school I will teach at. Hopefully we both get our wishes one day.

[penguin129]

I was going to stay home until DD entered VPK at age 4. Since we decided on having another baby I will stay home until that baby enters VPK at age 4 or possibly 5 depending when they are born. I miss working in a school environment and teaching, but I do not miss the grading, progress reports, report cards, etc. DH is a teacher and he spent a large part of yesterday entering grades into the grade book for progress reports. It wasn't all Sunday Funday. I like being able to take DD to story time and the mommy and me group we go to and having that time with her. I like being able to just chill out at home when she takes naps and have the time to keep the house clean. If I went back to work while DD and the next one are still little my house would be a mess for sure.

[Deleted]

Short answer, I plan to go back when DD2 starts KG.

Longer Answer:

I just starting staying home a couple of months ago, and I have an almost 7 and almost 2 year old. The plan right now is to stay home until around the time DD2 enters KG, though, I may look for something part time when she's around 4 so that we can afford to send her to part time preschool, which I personally feel is important.

I have mixed feelings about this. One of the biggest reasons I wanted to stay home is that life with a grade-schooler feels more complicated and busy than with a baby. She has a lot of homework, class activities that she has to do big projects for, things at the school we are expected to attend like field trips, concerts, plays, open houses, meet the teacher/classroom nights, family fun nights...and so on, and I was feeling really super overwhelmed trying to manage it all. Plus, in preschool/daycare, there were only 2 weeks a year the center was closed. Counting summer, grade school feels like it's closed more than it's open lol, and that was tricky and expensive to manage, especially with 2 children. I'm not sure how that will be better when DD2 is 5 and DD1 is 10, but we shall see. Perhaps it will feel more managable when I'm not also caring for a baby.

I think I could convince DH that I should only work part time even once the kids are bigger, to help manage their needs/lives and I think most importantly to be (maybe an annoying) regular presence in their lives throughout most days when they're in those troublesome teen years...(shudder). However, if I don't go back to work full time, we'll always just be meeting status quo, never saving anything, never able to do much, and I don't know what's a bigger problem for me.

[Deleted]

forevermorgan, now i feel like a wimp! LOL

[gwapes]

I am a SAHM, for now. It was never a perm. situation for us. I have mostly enjoyed it, but I look forward to working full time.

[younglove316]

I will most likely be a SAHM until our second child starts kindergarten. After that I think I will just try and find something part time. The elementary school won't have busing since we live so close so I would like to not have to worry about arrangements, pick ups after school, etc.

[beckyrosen]

I'd love to SAH forever, but we'll see what the future holds. I'm not opposed to going back to work in the far distant future, but I'd prefer to SAH for as long as possible.

[MadisonPenny]

I like being a SAHM and I think that if I ever did enter the workforce again I'd do something different than from what I was doing before.

[Deleted]

I probably won't be a SAHM forever, but definitely for quite awhile. The current plan is for me to homeschool both kids at least through elementary school, possibly longer. I do also at some point want to open my own child care center.

[namastebiotches]

Well, I never really was in a professional workplace. I had ds shortly after getting my master's & unsuccessfully finding employment.
I guess the answer depends on the job market. If no one ever hires me, I guess I'll be a sahm forever.
But Im not looking until DS is in kindergarten. He's in preschool so the hours are short & care for him after he'd get out is not worth it financially.