stay at home moms

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Posted by Mimacat

My mom stayed home with me until I was 10. We went out to lunch... shopped... drew pictures... went to plays... it was tons of fun. I'd totally do it if I was financially able, although I would feel as if I wasted my degree and would likely do something, even if it was only part time. I do *not* buy the 'its the hardest job in the world' line at all... nor do I buy the 'I'm lucky if I get a shower' line... Granted, its sometimes stressful and trying... but I do not believe for a moment that my moms life home with me can be compared to the 'hard work' my father did out at work all day...

Now go! Attack me! I've left myself wide open for it!

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I just heard the flood gates open.

my mom was a stay at home mom for awhile...but she was always on the go...she quit working as a RN bec she ha 5 kids under the age of 8 haha yes my mom is crazy!!!

And she was always out with us going to activities, parties, play dates, walks, parks etc. Now she works as an RN again and says raising us was the hardest thing haha

But then again I have seen mom's who yes a day care would be better for their children because they dont do anything with their children

My MOH babysits for a family who live the 'good life' in brookville. The husband is on wall street and the mother stays home. They pay my MOH to come and watch their 3 kids while the mother wanders the house and goes shopping.
They a few weeks ago my MOH was SCREAMED at by this mother b/c she was caught in traffic and showed up 5 mins late

UMMMM HELLO?!!? you're home, these are your kids. Why does it matter that shes 5 mins late?!?!

I would have freaked out

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Posted by Mimacat

My mom stayed home with me until I was 10. We went out to lunch... shopped... drew pictures... went to plays... it was tons of fun. I'd totally do it if I was financially able, although I would feel as if I wasted my degree and would likely do something, even if it was only part time. I do *not* buy the 'its the hardest job in the world' line at all... nor do I buy the 'I'm lucky if I get a shower' line... Granted, its sometimes stressful and trying... but I do not believe for a moment that my moms life home with me can be compared to the 'hard work' my father did out at work all day...

Now go! Attack me! I've left myself wide open for it!

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Yeah I don't get it either. I just have good role models though. The women in my family handle their daily routine with grace.

Obviously, everyone has bad days and I see that too. But overall, I never really see them as overwhelmed on a daily basis. . . so I think its actually a credit to the women in our lives!

I think it depends on how old the kids are. In the begining my sister never got to shower....Unless somone came over to watch the baby.

Now of course they are 5 and 3 and it's easier but then it gets difficult again with the running around with school and homeowork lunches and dinners and then trying to entertain and spend 'quality' time with them.

It's a different kind of 'hard work' then the fathers.

A friends of mine,, her husband stayed home for the first year.. he explained it that it's not ony physically difficult..which he could handle.. it was emotional draining..

I thing it's just a different kind of hard work than the husbands.

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Posted by Mimacat

I guess I'm confused b/c I always just figured that you could take the baby in the little seat or swing into the bathroom with you to rinse yourself off really fast. That way you can shower, even for like 3 min, and keep an eye directly on the baby.

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Yeah, I never got that either. That is what everyone I know does. . . I am sure some days are easier than others. . . but overall it seems like a pretty decent solution!

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Posted by Mimacat

Ok, I have one.

Stay at home moms / housewives who do not work

How do you REALLY feel about this? Are you one? Do you think that women should be in the workforce and not at home?

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i am a stay at home mom, but i do work (waitress) 2-3x per work. why would this topic cause drama???? is there something wrong with stay at home moms???? i think moms should stay home at least until kindergarten or full day!

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Posted by ant n tilde

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Posted by Mimacat

I guess I'm confused b/c I always just figured that you could take the baby in the little seat or swing into the bathroom with you to rinse yourself off really fast. That way you can shower, even for like 3 min, and keep an eye directly on the baby.

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Yeah, I never got that either. That is what everyone I know does. . . I am sure some days are easier than others. . . but overall it seems like a pretty decent solution!

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They could even market a baby seat with a little fan on it so that the baby doesn't get too hot from the steam from the shower!

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Posted by Mimacat

I guess I'm confused b/c I always just figured that you could take the baby in the little seat or swing into the bathroom with you to rinse yourself off really fast. That way you can shower, even for like 3 min, and keep an eye directly on the baby.

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I agree with you.. but having many new moms in my life...you are sooo concerned with them that they'd rather not do it unless someone can watch the baby..
Not being new moms..it's hard for us to judge how we will feel especially with all of the hormones that make new mothers NUTS!!!!

Very protective and the thought of 'what if' drives them nutty.....

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Posted by Mimacat

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Posted by ant n tilde

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Posted by Mimacat

I guess I'm confused b/c I always just figured that you could take the baby in the little seat or swing into the bathroom with you to rinse yourself off really fast. That way you can shower, even for like 3 min, and keep an eye directly on the baby.

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Yeah, I never got that either. That is what everyone I know does. . . I am sure some days are easier than others. . . but overall it seems like a pretty decent solution!

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They could even market a baby seat with a little fan on it so that the baby doesn't get too hot from the steam from the shower!

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I think the baby would be okay. . . leave the door open if you are that worried

Another little story I have is a few years ago I was a camp counselor for 3,4,5 yr olds. We had one absolutely GORGEOUS little 3 yr old girl. I mean she just turned 3 like right before camp started. She was sooo tiny. Her mom would drop her off to 'before camp session' which was for those whose parents WORKED and couldnt get there at the normal time to bring them. And then she would stay all day until 5pm. Well once she came to before camp at 7:30am, stayed until 5 then stayed 'after camp' until 7:30pm!!! we kept calling and calling and calling her mother. We had to clean, wash, and put this girl down for a nap. She was exhausted. Her mom shows up at almost 8pm saying ' i'm so sorry the nanny was supposed to come get her. I dont know what happened. I was shopping and at the gym all day I cant believe the nanny who takes care of her forgot to pick her up'

I wanted to cry for this poor little girl that her mother went the entire day without realizing her 3 yr olddaughter wasnt at home.

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Posted by mishjohn

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Posted by Mimacat

Ok, I have one.

Stay at home moms / housewives who do not work

How do you REALLY feel about this? Are you one? Do you think that women should be in the workforce and not at home?

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i am a stay at home mom, but i do work (waitress) 2-3x per work. why would this topic cause drama???? is there something wrong with stay at home moms???? i think moms should stay home at least until kindergarten or full day!

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it causes drama bc by nature women cannot be supportive of other women and their decisions

so if i dont think i will be a SAHM that means i instantly have to bash all SAHMs and berate them for their decisions and vice versa




ETA: excellent example. Last weekend a new mom asked me about what I thought about childbirth. Now, for my own personal reasons I have researched all natural childbirth and it is something I would love to look into more. . . I am not saying it will definitely happen bc only God knows but it is something that I would really love to happen.

instead of saying 'wow hope you have an easy labor mine was horrible so i couldnt do it' the moms in the room laughed at me, said i could never do it and basically called me an idiot. when i gave examples of people i know who have done it they just continued on about how *I* couldnt do it. . .

if women were supportive of each other - we could get a lot more accomplished!

as much as i would love to be a stay at home mom, a big part of me doesn't want to be. when the kids are little and not in full day school that's one thing, but i think and i'm speaking from actually conversations with stay at home moms that they get bored and want to work as the kids get older and are less dependent.

if we are financially stable enough to allow me to stay home even for just a few years i would like it very much. but then i'd want to go back to work.

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Posted by Mimacat

Also, it irks me that ppl consider raising their old children 'work.' To me, 'work' isnt something that I enjoy or would love to do... spending time with your family shouldn't be 'work.'

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ITA!!!!!

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Posted by ant n tilde

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Posted by Mimacat

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Posted by ant n tilde

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Posted by Mimacat

Ok, I have one.

Stay at home moms / housewives who do not work

How do you REALLY feel about this? Are you one? Do you think that women should be in the workforce and not at home?

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Heather, always causing problems.

If I didn't see you half naked on my screen every day I would think you were one of those feminists that don't shave

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Haha, I'm actually a fairly conservative Republican who attends church reguarly. AND I shave daily.

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i know and that is why i love you

it has nothing to do with your behind!

AND I know a few women that SHOULD get a job bc even though they are home - they DO NOTHING with their children. Their children would be BETTER OFF in daycare actually learning and doing different things each day.

Then again, my sister stayed home with her children and she took them to an activity every single day and took advantage of it. They either went to the library, park, mommy and me, the zoo, the aquarium, the museum - SOMETHING every single day no matter what. When they were home she read books and sang songs and did stuff with them ( still does, she works while they are in school though )

So it depends on each mother and how they interact daily with their children.

ETA: I would love to stay at home but its not financially feasible.

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I agree very much with this. I think its a personal decision and everyone should do what makes them happy. But i also see stay at home moms who don't do much with their kids and only stay home bc they don't want to work. Some are able to stay home financially and want to do it for their kids and if they are able to then good for them

I did read an interesting article online and a bunch of ppl commented on the article to share their experience of it. It was a father who was saying that after work he will go to his kids after school activities such as sports for example. He had noticed that all the parents who did work always made it on time to all the activities and that the stay at home moms were actually the ones always running late and volunteering for less things than the working parents and they didn't understand why. Now i doubt this happens everywhere or can be applied to every situation but I found it very interesting.