Please or to access all these features

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Small life or big life?

227 replies

Pufferthemagicjacket · 28/04/2026 07:03

Two quite different options are available to me right now:

A: Continue to be SAHM. Plenty of time to exercise, keep house, go to appointments, have coffees with friends etc. Some days I feel very lucky, other days feel like I’m aimlessly drifting a bit. Can afford a few “nice to have’s” but lifestyle fairly basic.

B: Accept FT job. Enjoy “sense of purpose” and extra money, but this would be intermingled with quite a bit of stress and general feeling of overwhelm (have done before). Also, childcare issues. But financial security would be a plus. I would also pay for cleaner etc, so would get a break from some menial tasks that have been my job for a number of years.

AIBU to have no idea which option is best?! WWYD?

OP posts:
PersephoneParlormaid · 28/04/2026 07:07

How old are the kids?

ChangePrivacyQuestion · 28/04/2026 07:06

Whichever option you choose, you'll look at the other one with envy. It's a mother's curse of modern world, I think. I chose option 2 - but I do have my misgivings.