To wonder why anyone with school-aged children would want to be a SAHM?

[Badtasteflump]

And what they do all day?

I have my flame-proof hard-hat ready

In the spirit of the general shit-stirring on here today I though I would ask this - as I do really wonder. Fair enough when you have pre-school aged children, I can understand wanting to be a SAHM. But once your children are at school full-time, what is there to do all day?

I work PT (school hours, basically). I manage (jointly with DH) to get all the housework, cooking, diy, etc) done in the evenings & weekends, no problem. If I were at home all day I really think I would go a bit mad - either that or I fear I would gradually become relegated to the role of house-slave, doing all the housework and childcare myself because I wouldn't have the excuse of a 'proper' job. . .

Is it just me that think's it's a bit off that, when OP returned, she said she didn't bother to read the thread properly and then misrepresented what a number of posters have actually been saying.

Howling

I cannot say how much I love the last sentence of your post there

We are not financially rich by any stretch of the wildest imagination, but I don't go to work.

You have described how I feel. Exactly.

Mmmm, gorgeous.

You can also use it in the bath, maybe for a Christmas treat, leaves you feeling really scenty and special.

Gonna ask DH if he'll let me get a bottle next month. Squeeeeeeee!

Probably got bored at work and wanted to start a bun fight (shop bought, natch!)

On a separate note, Aldi's eucalyptus washing up liquid smells like vomit. Anyone else find that?

I like to smother my gardner in washing up liquid and roll him about over the dishes for my housewife porn films.

oooh lets start a thread about washing up liquid and really piss Gay off

No they are melamine for just that reason. It is blackcurrant flavour and very very oily.

Well, having always said that I'd never be a housewife in a million years, I've had an insight into the housewife lifestyle in the recent months as I had to leave my job early in pregnancy (due on Oct 1st) so have had some months of sitting about, being unable to work outside the home. I've managed to fill my days pretty well - I have read lots, watched lots of films, whipped my garden into shape, done up our house, taken a prenatal yoga class and worked on some projects (unpaid) around a blog that I write and a consultancy business. It definitely hasn't been boring and not necessarily any less satisfying than my full-time job.

While I've enjoyed the break, nagging at the back of my mind is the ultimate emptiness of such an existence. Obviously in a couple of weeks' time, i'll have my hands more than full with a newborn but this past few months has made me realise that I'd always have to do some kind of project - work or study - to stay sane. I think your life can drift out of focus very quickly otherwise.

It's an easy lifestyle to slip into though because it's a hell of a lot less stressful than combining full-time work and family and it's so hard to find family-friendly work hours. I can see why and how women end up as SAHMs and enjoy it. Most SAHMs probably just accept the downside of financial dependence and lack of social respect for the upside of being their own boss and getting to pursue their own interests and not having so much stress. It wouldn't suit for me long-term though - I'd suffer from some existentialist angst, I think...

Me too Riven

When I read these threads I wonder who these SAHM's that posters refer to with patronising pity are? There seems to be an unspoken acceptance that SAHM's are a bit thick and certainly have never done anything interesting or worthwhile, couldn't possibly have an opinion on politics or finance or anything seemingly "intelligent" and spend their days reading closer between bleaching the patio and startching sheets

It is not something I recognise at all. I had coffee with some SAHM friends today, between us there were an ex pilot, ex teacher, ex lawyer, ex chef and ex singer. I don't recall anyone mentioning laundrey.

I just had 3 weeks off due to an injury.

Drove me absolutely BONKERS.

And that was secure in the knowledge that I had a fantastic job to go back to when I was ready.

God knows what I'd have been like if the weeks had stretched out to eternity!

I feel loads better now I'm back at work. It's good for my kids too, I'm happy and confident and have contact with other people on a professional and freindly basis. My kids realise that work is not an option, but a necessity.

I'm MUCH more productive when I've been to work. If I have all day to do the housework, it takes me all day to do the housework. If I have 30 mins before work and an hour after work, things still get done, its amazing how efficient a busy woman can be! The old saying comes to mind:

"If you want something done, ask a busy woman"

It also makes me value my days off and weekends.

InMyPrim - if you'd read the thread you'd see quite what interesting and varied lives people create.

Lack of social respect - from whom? Arses?

I'm a bit lazy, so it suits me perfectly.

HTH.

They like being ponces. Kept women. They couldn't handle a hard days graft.

Sorry, need a bit of clarification on that one. Which definition of ponces should we be going with? An 'effeminate man', a 'pimp' or an 'industrial port in southern Puerto Rico'?

Ditto here Monica we're not rolling in it either but we are comfortable and happy and that's all that really matters innit? :o

Fabby you sound more intelligent with every post.
OP time to go and do some homework I think.

And if you'd actually read my post, hullygully, you'd see that I did recognise that many SAHMs can find plenty of useful and interesting things to do besides working in a paid job outside the home.

Don't be so thin-skinned, picking up on one phrase and over-reacting to it.

oh ok silly billy old me

you might want to read your post again though

I REALLY don't get why other people's choices bother people so much.

I do work (well a little bit ). But people who stay at home might:

• get that "me time" that is impossible in the evenings and at weekends

-make family life a whole lot more relaxed by not being an overworkedstressedd themselves. -contribute to school/community life. -be preparing themselves for a future career -be supporting a spouse who works all hours -be spending the day on mums net -keeping their house much cleaner than I do mine If money isn't an issue, being a SAHM could be fab:)

that was meant to say stresshead