If you are a sahm...

[spandauballroom]

Is that how you explain what you do if someone asks?
What do you say if someone asks your job?

I say I'm a housewife . I love being a housewife ( I'm officially a carer for my adult daughter who is profoundly disabled but it's too much of a mouthful so housewife suffices!)

What does a 'full time mother' become when their child reaches school age?

farm out the bulk of the childcare

WTAF? Are you trying to be this rude?

@MrsTerryPratchett that is what is needed to do if parents are working full time. You hardly expect the children to stay at home alone!

This is literally unemployment.

No. It’s literally economic inactivity. @McCallington defines unemployment very succinctly and correctly earlier in the thread.

The next time my son needs picking up from nursery because he's ill, remind me to let them know that I'm not a full time parent so unfortunately, he'll just have to stay there.

It's a shame you didn't take better advantage of the school system, you don't pay for my children as I've already stated (not that it matters). When your retired and my children are of working age, my kids taxes will be paying for your sunny window, at some point you will rely on the younger generation. I hope you learn to appreciate them by them.

Also don't bring immigration into this it's completely irrevelavant and simply a buzz words for idiots on the Internet 😊 have a nice day!

@WimpoleHat no it's actually a lifestyle choice.

Many parents prefer to look after their own children for whatever reason & have the means to do so.. Second property income, wise investments, high earning partner, large redundancy package.. For some parents they might not even break even if they had to pay someone to mine their kids so it's an economic choice.

Some full time mums & dads I know have set up successful little businesses from the home which they work around the childrens nap times & schedules eg wedding stationery, novelty cakes etc.. Where there's a will there's a way.

"Farm out" is just rude and dismissive, which I assume you meant to be. And "the bulk" is bollocks. If DC are in childcare 9 hours a day (assuming a normal work week with fairly flexible pick-ups) that's 45 hours of childcare versus 123 hours at home.

This thread frighteningly and so accurately shows how liitle regard is paid to the (unpaid and undervalued) work that is done by SAHM.
And this is 'female solidarity'? This is women sticking up for women who want to make choices that best suits them and their families? It's not a case of right or wrong - it's a case of women being able to have a choice that is valued.

And it seems that only work outside of the home is valued!??

Because there's more to a person than their paid employment. When you only judge people based on that, you're missing out on what actually makes them who they are.

No, it's a goady thread set up to make WOHMs and SAHMs fight. There are a lot of posts being incredibly rude to the women who work outside the home as well. Women's labour both paid and unpaid is being undervalued.

Oh no, on these threads the ''part time' mothers who ''farm out'' their children obviously have them in childcare for 11 hour days full time.

Despite the fact that the majority of mothers go back to work part time or that flexible working is largely available, as is WFH. It's amazing.

It's work. My kids are HARD work. It's also work regardless of your employment status. As is housework. It just isn't a job.

@Bridgetjoneski On the contrary, “unemployed” is an economic term with a specific meaning (as per @McCallington’s post). It is not synonymous with “not working”.

True @SouthLondonMum22

The poor latchkey toddlers staring sadly at the empty driveway sobbing themselves to sleep waiting for mummy to return from her unneeded and fun job she's only doing to avoid them. When she could be icing cakes while they nap.

In the real world, some of us worked flexibly when we could, mimimised time way and ASTONISHINGLY have really quite important jobs. All the iced cakes in the world wouldn't save us from the economic collapse if every mum just gave up work.

DH and I work, do all school runs and use no childcare for our primary school age DC as we work full time flexibly from home. I also buy extra holidays to be off all through the school holidays with them.

However, even when they are in school and I am working I am still their Mum and just as much of a ‘full time mum’ as those volunteering or meeting friends while their DC are in school.

There are a lot of these SAHM vs Working Mum threads right now aren’t there? Women really are their own worst enemies.

I work. On the weekend and when I take annual leave such as in school holidays I am definitely not then ‘working’!

@MrsTerryPratchett there are many kids in private schools up & down the country with kids there Mon to Fri 8 to 6 so the parents can get wraparound care.. That's 50 hours a week.

I get that many families can't afford the luxury of a full time parent at home but that doesn't mean posters have to be so angry about other families lifestyle choices which they make to suit the needs of their own household.

"Farm out" is just rude and dismissive, which I assume you meant to be. And "the bulk" is bollocks. If DC are in childcare 9 hours a day (assuming a normal work week with fairly flexible pick-ups) that's 45 hours of childcare versus 123 hours at home.

In the interests of total accuracy - how many of those 123 hours are when children are asleep?.........

But this is not a working mothers vs SAHM -bashing thread!

This should not be as divisive as this has become ........ and among women. who have a common interest in wanting to look after our children.

Doesn't the problem lie in the fact that society. as it is, doesn't recognise the contribution that SAHM make, but only recognises the contribution that people make to tax revenues?

Remind me again how many children are privately educated in this country?

People aren't angry that you're a SAHM, they are angry at the language you are using such as ''full time mum'' and ''farming them out'' but I think you already know that.

No, then they're doing full time caring for their child. They're no more or less a parent in those hours as someone else is when they're at work or what they are of they go out to the cinema alone one night.

They are probably bots pushing for the normalisation of policies that require all women to place their children in childcare and join the workforce in order to boost the economy. "What are you!? A snivelling snowflake SAHM while we fight for the country you sit on your arse raising kids whilst your hubby works!? What about equality? Shaaame!!!"

@SouthLondonMum22 full time mum/dad/parent is a very common term for one who makes the lifestyle choice to care for their children within the home.

Bringing up your children and taking care of the home, which normally equates to allowing the other person in the marriage to work more hours, isn't contributing to society? Get your head out of your arse. What an asinine comment.

Do disabled people who can't work full time but volunteer a few hours a week supporting other disabled people or helping out in another way not contribute to society either?