Babies: 3 - 6 Months

food for thought...

I've read/heard a lot of people lately say that everyone should be able to experience being a SAHM and you should at least try it out.  I'm wondering if these people have considered that some moms may WANT to work and that being a SAHM isn't for everyone?

My questions to working moms...do you work FT or PT?  What are your reasons for working?

I work M-F 7-3:30.  My reasons:

1.  I am passionate about my career.  I earned a Master's degree for a reason and plan to use it.  If I wanted to be a SAHM, I wouldn't have wasted my time in graduate school.

2.  I enjoy having a professional identity outside of "Mom"

3.  DH and I enjoy living comfortable.  With 2 new cars and a mortgage, we have always planned to be a 2-income household.

4.  I refuse to use government assistance as long as I have a choice about it! (note...I know that unfortunate circumstances can always lead to anyone needing them!)

Warning No formatter is installed for the format bbhtml

Re: food for thought...

  • really? we talk a lot on here about people who want to work. I'm one of them, but it doesn't make sense for us right now.
  • I work FT, M-F 7-4. I work because I want to. 
    Lilypie Second Birthday tickers image
  • Loading the player...
  • imageNELCORP:
    I work FT, M-F 7-4. I work because I want to. 

    Exactly. I don't understand why we always have to have a reason to want to work. I just want to. I feel like when these conversations come up, the reasons sound like we are making excuses.

    I want to work. period.  

    ETA: OP - I know you are just making conversation and aren't saying we need excuses. I am just commenting on the overall need to have a reason. 

  • I work M-F 7:30-4:00, I am a teacher. I absolutely love my job. As you said, we have car and house payments and like living comfortably. I like having a job other than just  mom as well Smile
    Warning No formatter is installed for the format bbhtml
  • I work 9-5 Monday-Friday. I work for the extra income and because i want to.
    Warning No formatter is installed for the format bbhtml
  • I have to go back to work once my mat leave is done.  Lucky for me, we get a year of maternity leave here, and I am hoping financially I will be able to take all of it.  I am going back because I have to go back.  Financially we would not be able to have me stay at home.  If we had endless amounts of money, I would love to be a mostly-stay-at-home-mom.  I think I would like to work on a very casual basis just to get me out of the house, socializing with my coworkers and using my brain at work.  I do love my job, I just wish I didn't have to do it full time!
    Warning No formatter is installed for the format bbhtml
  • No, I don't think anyone needs a reason to work...I was just stating mine.  I want to work, too.  That was the whole point...I just have a multitude of reasons for wanting to work.  And I don't see reasons as excuses.  Just like people have reasons for wanting to stay at home, I have reasons why I want to work.  I'm definitely not cut out to be a SAHM.

    And most of the comments about everyone should try being a stay at home mom aren't from on here...just stuff IRL or on the bump iphone app.

    Warning No formatter is installed for the format bbhtml
  • I work because I have to.  We both work FT and barely make it.  Mostly that is because of bad decisions in the past.  When DD1 was a baby, I stayed home with her for 5 months before I decided it just wasn't for me.  I needed the mental stimulation and wanted to have my own money and some independence.
  • imageklf2284:

    No, I don't think anyone needs a reason to work...I was just stating mine.  I want to work, too.  That was the whole point...I just have a multitude of reasons for wanting to work.  And I don't see reasons as excuses.  Just like people have reasons for wanting to stay at home, I have reasons why I want to work.  I'm definitely not cut out to be a SAHM.

    And most of the comments about everyone should try being a stay at home mom aren't from on here...just stuff IRL or on the bump iphone app.

    Not sure if you saw my edit. I didn't mean for my comments to be directed at you. I understood your point, I was just commenting on the issue in general.  

  • I work M-F 8-5 because I have to.  DH lost his job in January and while he has an even better job now it took us 7 months to find it.  So I had to return to work after DS was born.  I will be able to be a SAHM by December which is what I want.  On the other hand I completely understand that some women really want to work and I definitely respect that choice.  I worked hard to get my degree and I plan to get my masters and return to work eventually.  If it turns out that I am unhappy being a SAHM and want to return to work, I will do it. 
  • I was planning on being a sahm for a year then going back, however I might go back sooner just for fun money and more interaction.  My dh makes a very good living so we can live very comfortably on his income and we're lucky that our only debt is our mortgage.   If I had a job previously that I had loved, I would have probably wanted to go back to it, however I hated my job with a passion.  If I go back to work it will be doing something I enjoy no matter how much or little it pays.  Although if it doesn't cover daycare costs then I won't bother.  Plus we plan on having 2u2 so I may end up staying home till #2 is 6 months.

    I think its great no matter what a mom decides to do, whether its work because you need to or want to, or sahm because you need/want to.  You just have to deal with the fact that people are going to judge no matter what you do.  Especially the older generations where women stayed home most of the time, they feel that that's the only way to go.

    Lilypie Second Birthday tickersLilypie First Birthday tickers
  • I work part time (the other part is school). I can honestly say that I love my job - and a lot has to do with the people that I work with. I imagine that if you had asked me 5 years ago if I wanted to be a SAHM, with the job I was working, I definitely would have shouted a resounding "YES!" Now though, I'm finally happy getting the degree that I love, and I'm in a job that I love - where I'll get promoted and be able to use my degree once I graduate - and I love working with the people in my job - so now, I'd definitely say that no, I wouldn't want to SAH. I enjoy my work, and I enjoy the extra money that we have so that we can go places and do things with her that we wouldn't be able to otherwise.
    Kinley Joy Baby Birthday Ticker Ticker Daisypath Anniversary tickers BabyFruit Ticker
  • imageklf2284:

     

    My questions to working moms...do you work FT or PT?  What are your reasons for working?

    I work M-F 7-3:30.  I work the same hours and I LOVE it, only Tue-Sat.

    My reasons:

    1.  I need to work. We cannot survive on one income, as much as I wish we could.

    2. I like having a place to take a break from my home life. Plus, DS is getting great interaction with other babies and his nanny.

    3.  I was a SAHM for 3 months before I came back to work and I think it is just as hard as having a job away from home. I am glad I get to be social outside of work and my mommy/wife titles.

    4.  I am at a job that is NOT my career, but I will be going back to school in May and I cannot wait to get my Masters in Elem. Ed so I can teach.

  • I work M-F from 8-5 in a managerial position at a University.  I LOVE my job, sure I miss being at home, but my income is good and I want my kids to have everything that I did not have when I was growing up including a college fund for all three of my kids. 

    I could stay home....but it would be tight on one income.  

    Canon 60D: Canon 50mm 1.8 & 85mm 1.8, Tamron 28-75 2.8, Sigma 30mm 1.4
  • I work M-F 7:30-4 and sometimes an hour or so at home in the evenings or on weekends.

    I work because I really like my job and I've worked hard to get where I am right now in my career. Also, I work in a predominately male-dominated field of law, and it would be difficult to move up in my career if I took off a year or more to stay home with the babies (I'd have a difficult time explaining that to potential bosses, since they would likely be 40-50 year old males).

    That being said, even if I didn't like my job, we need both incomes - we both have law school loans, a mortgage, two car payments, and some credit card debt (my fault - I went through a bit of a "shopping" frenzy in law school Crying ).  Plus, we like to travel and want to set up nice college funds for the babies, which we couldn't do on just one income.

     


    image
    image
This discussion has been closed.
Choose Another Board
Search Boards
"
"