SAHM or Working Mom...what did you do?

amymoidl · November 2010

DH and I are currently trying to decide if we should start trying to conceive again (we had a MC at 8 wks 1 1/2 months ago). If we begin trying now, it would make most sense for me to be a SAHM for atleast the first year (I am a teacher but I do not currently have a permanent position because we just relocated to Chicago for DH's job). If we wait, it would only be so that I could try to find a teaching position for next school year and get settled there before having to take maternity leave.

So, I was curious...how many of you became Stay At Home Moms after your first baby?

[Poll]

[Deleted User] · November 2010

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amymoidl · November 2010

Thank you Rochella

I actually *do* work a little bit from home right now, and this is quite possibly something that could continue into next year. I teach some classes online, but only a few so the income is about 25% of what I'd make if I had a full-time teaching position at a school. So, that would definitely help us through the first year and then if I wanted to I could start looking for the following school year -

mlc92404 · November 2010

I worked until DS#1 was 8 months old (because we couldn't afford for me to quit). At that point DH got a job making as much (and more) than what we made combined so I quit work and have been a SAHM for 2 years now.

smerka · November 2010

Illinois is in a sad state of affairs and you may have a tough time finding a teaching job (unless you teach something in high demand like special ed). And from what I understand you need to work at a district for more than just one school year in order to take maternity leave and still have your job.

My husband is a teacher and I was a geologist. I'm a SAHM now but work parttime during the tax season doing taxes. It's tough to do on a teacher's salary, but we're making it work.

argonne · November 2010

So sorry for your loss...

We decided I would go back to work. I work from home on Tuesdays and Thursdays with a nanny to look after him while I work. I go into the office MWF with nanny at home to watch him (DH works from home full-time unless he's traveling for work).

We could swing me being a SAHM now, but I have better benefits than MH and I enjoy my work, for the most part. If we have another one (probably late 2012 or early 2013) I will, most likely, become a SAHM. Right now, we spend 1600/month on a nanny and that cost would go up with another child. At that point, we it would be more beneficial for me to stay at home, especially since DH is getting a promotion to a director position early next year, which comes with a fairly large salary increase. If the increase is large enough, I may become a SAHM before we have another one. It's all a "wait and see" kind of thing.

amymoidl · November 2010

I teach high school science, but am very aware that I might have a tough time here - which is another issue we have to consider - do we wait until the Spring to see if I even get something or just make the decision to start trying now.

We are making due now on just my DH's salary and my supplemental subbing income, but that would go away if I became a SAHM b/c I wouldn't be able to sub.

nosoup4u · November 2010

smerka:
Illinois is in a sad state of affairs and you may have a tough time finding a teaching job (unless you teach something in high demand like special ed).

This. I think I'm screwed with having an ed degree now, frankly. Chicago's bad for finding a teaching position - not sure about the suburbs.

DH finished grad school and got a job that let me SAH when DS1 was a few months old. I should have gone back to work when he was a year, but it only would have been for a year, bc we knew we were going to try for another baby.

I definitely lean towards the TTC now instead of later, though.

Mrs.Eisensmith · November 2010

DH and I are both programmers. I quit my job when we moved a few months before DS was born because I didn't want a 2 hour commute. I'm going to be a SAHM for at least a year. I might do some consulting or freelance while I'm here with DS. Looking to try for a PhD program in a couple years, unless we have a second one then.

JLSmith124 · November 2010

I chose other only because we had planned for me to go back to work full time. DS got very sick from daycare and ended up in the hospital for 4 days with RSV. We then decided that I would only work whenever my mom has a day off so she can watch him. We have not decided yet whether I will go back to work after this LO is born.

kspies · November 2010

I am a teacher too and chose to stay home. DD was born in October and it didn't make sense for me to go back for two months, be off for four, and back for three. Plus we are trying to move home to Iowa so that has freed us up to sell our house and potentially move in the middle of the school year rather than be stuck with a timetable. Not to mention that going back to work would have cost most of my salary. By staying home and living as economically as possible (EBF, cloth diapers, not having to buy gas, work clothes, childcare) we are doing just fine without my salary. Whatever you decide to do will work out--teachers are so lucky to have the schedule we do, but that schedule can mean some tough decisions!