Officially a SAHM - anyone else?

[BabyMagic]

So I went to work today to tell them that I am not going back (at least for another year or two) and they agreed to give me a career break. So I am now officially a stay-at-home-mum.

Anyone else? How do you find it?

I am absolutely loving staying at home with my baby. I just couldn't entertain a thought of going back to work. I loved my job, but I love my daughter even more. I feel that I left work in a high as I had a few really nice years just before having LO.

I just had my new credit card come in (or it's my OH's ). He's already been paying the equal amount as my salary to me. It feels a bit scary to rely on someone else now, but I have kind of got used to it. I do feel a bit guilty sometimes when I spend money as it isn't 'mine'. It's like living out of my daddy's pockets again

I also love that I can continue travelling like I have during my maternity leave, yay

 

[Gem & Leland]

i am but not by choice , i really need to work part time at least cos we wont be paying the bills next month otherwise !! but jobs are in some what short supply!

i went to work for 5 weeks just before xmas and tbh its made me a better mum for it , i liked missing leland and coming home to big smiles etc for me i really need to work part time to keep sane , i found being at home 24/7 really difficult but when i was at work i missed him so need to find a balance , i was working too many hours but was doing all i could cos it wasnt gonna last long so i think i want to do about 16 hours a week might need to do 20 tho .

 

[LisaJ1986]

I'd love to stay at home. But with the current situation we're in may mean that isn't possible. But i'm still waiting to hear from work to see if i actually have a job to go back to anyway. But with OH being out of work we are super struggling! And no matter how hard we look jobs round here are slim!

 

[Sherlock]

*waves hand*

Yup, I'm one of those now.

Not really what I had hoped for as I would like to work at least one or two half days or evenings a week. But its not really practical atm and so we decided I'd not go back to work.

 

[valentine]

That's lovely news Baby Magic - I'm so glad your work were understanding and I hope you enjoy all your time with LO.

I would LOVE to be a stay-at-home Mum but we can't afford for me not to work at all. I achieve a nice balance (I think) now with 2.5 days at work in a local town. Now DD is a toddler and very wilful, I do enjoy my time away from her. However if I had the option, I'd stay at home full time.

Valentine Xxx

 

[Nicola g]

Me me I love being at home with the kids but do feel sometimes i should look for something part time to give me some sanity

 

[Quill]

I am. I do like it. No plans to return to work (I was a librarian) at least for the foreseeable future. I know what you mean about feeling weird living out of someone else's pockets again. It was hard for me at first, but my DH has always earned more than me, so it wasn't like we were depending on my salary, which made it easier to bear.

I do some freelance copyediting (very freelance, business is slow with the credit crunch) and am writing a novel (in between nappy changes, feedings, playtime, etc, but it's getting there!) so I keep busy. Otherwise I think I'd be kind of adrift. Not knocking the mother thing but I need at least a certain percentage of me to remain "me" if that makes any sense. It's like, I can be 95% mother but I want to concentrate the last 5% on growing myself as a person, reading, writing, pursuing a hobby, whatever. As long as I do that I feel really fulfilled.

... er, reading this over, maybe I shouldn't think such deep thoughts on like 4 hours of sleep. But welcome to SAHM-ness! Sounds like your work were very understanding, and the babies do grow so fast, it's fun to see so much change

 

[nori]

I'm going to be a part time SAHM as we cant pay the bills otherwise. I'm only planning on going back 2.5 days a week and if thats not enough i may try and find evening work. I would love to stay at home full time but finances just wont let us do it (even though we have cut back on everything).

Enjoy your time with your LO,

Claire x

 

[mrs_tommo22]

Im a stay at home mum. I do enjoy it, but one day i hope to do some work, even a couple of shifts would be nice.

 

[Bloom]

Me

Although i want to look for a little part time job mainly so i have my own pocket money. Plus when we do start ttc i want to get smp again.

 

[BabyMagic]

Thanks for your support and replies.

Gem and Leland - I hope you find something soon. It does sound like that you are better suited to have a job. I love the idea of returning to smiley Leland after work. Maybe one day I feel the same way too. My mum was a SAHM, but did some charitable work, which I'd like to do when LO gets older (unless I choose to return to my proper career).

Lisa - hope it isn't too stressful to wait to hear from your job. Some of my mum friends have been made redundant so I guess I was lucky to work in the city and still have a job (in a weird way I wish I had been made redundant instead of my friends as they would have liked to have returned to work). This credit crunch thing sucks (even though bring on the sales!)

Sherlock - I am sure Galen will appreciate you staying at home. I look forward to hearing how your trial session at the nursery go. Maybe one day a bit later you'll start to do some work again.

Valentine - but you'll be on maternity leave again before you know it

Nicola - I wonder when I start feeling like that (to have a job to keep my sanity). Our life is pretty hectic as it is though, as we get family coming over, travelling to see the family, plus loads of activities etc. Tbh, I wouldn't have time to work

Quill - I know 'me' time is also important to be a good mum. So far the longest I have been away from my LO is probably 90 minutes. I do go to the gym regularly and have beauty treatments which help me to recharge my batteries. In no doubt, I'll be leaving LO for longer periods at some stage. OH has been insisting on getting on a nanny, but I just find it weird (they are not common in Finland). I did have one a few months ago, but she only came twice as I don't really need a break from LO. I already have a cleaner who keeps the house in order so I feel that I am quite lucky that way (my mum used to clean herself - well more out of choice than anything else!).

Nori - Doing 2.5 days sounds like a good plan. We as a human race are very adaptable so I am sure you'll learn to love to do it!

Mrs Tommo and Bloom - hope you find something nice too!

 

[Steelgoddess]

I am not planning on going back full time but looking to contract from home fingers cross as the money is soo good, and I know I would miss my own money.

I couldn't imagine going back full time...

 

[lauramumof2]

I am back part time and I like it. We do not have any choice but for me to work part time but Im lucky because I work in the town I live and I have flexi time which means that I am able to take Jessica to nursery and I am home 5 mins after I finish.

Sharne, when you say contract from home, what do you do?

 

[Lou]

I'm a SAHM and gave up work to concentrate on ttc. I am looking forward to going back to work when Isaac starts school, either that or have another baby. Depends on the finances

 

[bhe101]

I am. I enjoy it, although soemtimes I do wish I had my own money & time outside this house just for "me".

 

[lauramumof2]

I'm a SAHM and gave up work to concentrate on ttc. I am looking forward to going back to work when Isaac starts school, either that or have another baby. Depends on the finances

For gods sake, can you not have a quickie in the morning and one at night like everybody else

 

[Lou]

I'm a SAHM and gave up work to concentrate on ttc. I am looking forward to going back to work when Isaac starts school, either that or have another baby. Depends on the finances

For gods sake, can you not have a quickie in the morning and one at night like everybody else

Nope

 

[Steelgoddess]

I'm a SAHM and gave up work to concentrate on ttc. I am looking forward to going back to work when Isaac starts school, either that or have another baby. Depends on the finances

For gods sake, can you not have a quickie in the morning and one at night like everybody else

Nope

Hmmm Sex or work I know which id choose!!

 

[batgirl3111]

I am officially a SAHM. At the beginning I felt that other women felt I was letting the side down by not going back to work but now I have had many other mothers saying that they think I am amazing as it is much harder being at home with baby full-time than going back to work. I have to agree, I am way more shattered at the end of the day looking after my 14month old son than I was when I was working. For us it didn't make financial sense to go back to work as nurseries where we live are outrageously expensive but to be honest I don't think I would enjoy going to work now, I have got too used to doing things when I want and couldn't stand having to answer to a boss now.

 

[BabyMagic]

By looking at everyone's answers it looks like that there are pros and cons for both going back to work or staying at home. It's so much harder these days for women. There is a lot more pressure.

It is not too long time ago when all mothers stayed at home with their kids - and they also had to all the washing by hand etc etc, so at least there has been some improvement