Need advice from SAHMs

WalteRose · April 2012

The company I work for offers child care leave for up to 1 year after your child is born. LO is 6-1/2 months old and I need to make up my mind about whether I want to return to work. I worked it out where I would work part-time from home (working 1/2 days M-F, from home). I like my job (I don't love it, but I do like it) and it's a great company to work for where I can build my career.

My issue is I'd literally be working to pay for child care (I would hire a nanny to come over while I work in another room). I would prefer to SAH, but the benefits of keeping my job is I'll have a good job, which is especially good in this economy. I just don't know any other place where I can work part time from home... so it seems like too good of a gig to pass up.

SAH moms -- if you had the opportunity to work from home part-time, even though your take home pay wouldn't be much, would you do it?

Thanks in advance!

kcisthebombdotcom · April 2012

No. Working at home seems in no way appealing to me. Sure, you have the benefit of getting to take periodic breaks to see your LO and you can work in pjs. I think it's difficult to make a young child understand that mom needs to go in the other room uninterrupted to do work. I'd also rather pee in peace and talk to adults at woprk.

I would rather work outside of the home part time vs work at home.

MrsBalletStar05 · April 2012

If you think it'd be beneficial in the long run (will advance you in your career) and/or you get good insurance or something, then I'd say keep the job. I've seen too many people give up really decent jobs thinking there must be something "better" and there isn't, especially in this bad economy. If you like the job, it's not stressful, it's a good situation, I'd say keep it. That's just me though.

littlemermaid · April 2012

For me, if I were going to work part-time and break even I would want to get out of the house so I'd be getting adult interaction in the process. If I'm just going to be in another room of the house and hand over my paycheck to the nanny in the other room then forget it.

ashley0616 · April 2012

I work from home. But I have a very flexible job in which I can work for 2 hours in the morning before the girls wake up and over nap time if I need to. And after they are in bed at night if necessary as well. I bring in a little money, I get great insurance, and I feel like I am contributing to the household financially. It makes me happy and it is worth it. If I was working to just pay the sitter, then I would have to say No. However, my world is not career centered. I don't plan on working traditionally ever again. My priority is being home with the kids, and that will include after they are in school. If you were going to be doing this part-time at home gig for say a year or two and then going back into the workforce in a better position, then I would go for it. Paying your dues is something that everyone has to do, WAH or not. You just have to weigh what the priorities are and how to best obtain them. GL, either way.

Dochas · April 2012

If it was really next to nothing, then no. If you stopped working completely - how long do you plan to be out of the workforce? If you are only planning to stay home a couple of years I can definitely see the benefit to keeping this good job. But I would personally find 5 half days annoying. Can you change that schedule at all? I like being able to plan outings and wouldn't want to only have afternoons available.

jssica2 · April 2012

hi im a SAHM i dont work at home but i do all the house work take care of my 2 kids my hubby dos work he wants me 2 stay home whith the kids we dont want 2 let no one takeing care of them but me. i work at a daycare be4 i had my 3yearold so i can teach him things he will now 4 school. i dont know what 2say but do what r haert tells u 2 do

sbartschke · April 2012

ashley0616:
I work from home. But I have a very flexible job in which I can work for 2 hours in the morning before the girls wake up and over nap time if I need to. And after they are in bed at night if necessary as well. I bring in a little money, I get great insurance, and I feel like I am contributing to the household financially. It makes me happy and it is worth it. If I was working to just pay the sitter, then I would have to say No. However, my world is not career centered. I don't plan on working traditionally ever again. My priority is being home with the kids, and that will include after they are in school. If you were going to be doing this part-time at home gig for say a year or two and then going back into the workforce in a better position, then I would go for it. Paying your dues is something that everyone has to do, WAH or not. You just have to weigh what the priorities are and how to best obtain them. GL, either way.

This

SkyBee · April 2012

No, the only way I would work from home is if I am making a good amount of money. It is not worth not spending time with DS for a little bit of money...... even then I still wouldn't actually choose to work. I only would if I had to.

MomLovesWine · April 2012

No, I would be the laziest/worst employee ever if I could work from home. Add in the fact that my child is at home (even with a nanny) and there is no way I would get any work done. But, if you've already got WFH experience, you can always give it a try before deciding to SAH full time.

JOEBunny · April 2012

It kind of depends. I would do it, if I would have to go back full time in a year or two, and could not afford to stay home for a while, like 4 or 5 years or longer, since it would be easier to go back full time when your already working and people know your work, but if I was going to SAH for more than a couple of years, I would rather just start again and not have the stress of "working for free" to keep my skills up. I know a number of people who have done it though. It was not important enough to me to do so. The part time work in my field is pretty lame, compared to full time. I would rather have just worked another year or two, saved the money, and stayed home full time. I would have made more money too, since there is a premium on longer hours.

MrsAJL · April 2012

Given that you have a few things going for you that I think are important -

1. You like your job.
2. It's a great company to work for.
3. You can build your career there.

Frankly, I'd return to work full time. Putting your kid in daycare is expensive but that cost generally decreases over time. Presumably you're making advances at your company and will step up in position and pay.

However, if you want to be a SAHM, then don't work part time from home. Just be a SAHM.

MamatoJackson · April 2012

If you work in the type of field where taking a break to be a SAHM would be very detrimental for your career (and you intend to go back to work F/T once children are in school), then yes, I would.

If not, no way.

MesmrEwe · May 2012

IMO, based on what you've said, I would go back to work full time. If you're hiring a nanny to be able to work at home, any benefit is nullified. Just go back to work and enjoy the adult interaction and the quality time you'll have with your LO!!

Temp6313048411121614 · May 2012

Do you plan to go back to work when your kids are in school (so need to keep your foot in the door so to speak), or is your goal/plan to be a SAHM forever? I never planned on having a career so I'm a FT SAHM. Could you work in the evenings when your DH is home or kids are in bed (or napping) to not need to pay for childcare? Do you carry the insurance? GL with your decision.

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