To think SAHM's have an easier life?

[workingmummy123]

I understand this won't please everyone but I'm referring to SAHMs with school age children. I read lots of articles - one today on Facebook - which talk about how SAHMs "work" at home doing a hundred domestic chores. However I work full time and still have to do the exact same number of domestic chores - I just have less time to do them. Am I missing something??

My kids are at school. Ive a lovely life.
I get my jobs done it the morning, then. I watch a DVD in the afternoon.
Whoopdee doo for you.

Imagine a single mum on benefits coming on and bragging about not working. The words Over coals and dragged are coming to mind.

I'm working on it mind but not sure what I want to do and if I can (I'm almost 50).
Also my oldest - a teen- has ADHD. I do sometimes wonder how I would cope with work after dealing with her bouncing up and down on her bed at 4am singing Christmas carols...or spending hours persuading her and then helping her do exam coursework or revise. (The only subject she revised for was one where I did it with her...).
Two more years she will be at university and the youngest will be out of primary...can't wait...

primary school children make more mess than a teenagager does

3DDs, 2 of them teenagers and the mess is a lot worse than what it was in primary. More homework so more paper's lying around the bedrooms, a lot more laundry as they are constantly in the shower and getting changed so more clothes and towels, won't wear the same thing twice without it being washed, a lot more makeup/hair stuff/smellies/bath bombs laying about. I have to do the bathroom a lot more now than what i used to, more or less daily, just more everything really, clothes, shoes, bags... was definately easier when they were smaller.

Oh yes dragging child to childminder at 730am and another to playgroup with lunch boxes etc. Making sure you are presentable etc. Working is tough.
You know what we are all doing our best.

Well yeah. It's essentially days off for working people- I really don't see the difference.

Having an easier life is definitely NOT a bad thing! It's when SAHM try to justify their existence (they shouldn't feel the need to at all) by saying they have it tougher. I'm sorry but 'It's just soooo booooring' stopped being an adequate reason to moan when you turned 18. Go out, do something, when you want, how you want. It's a blessing. And don't put cleaning, cooking and shopping into the equation. We all have to do it, some of us just have less time.

Being a mum is bloody hard working or not

Totally januarybooze

Funny we've had ten pages of discussing this article the op has supposedly seen without her bothering to post the article. Op even has a username to match this (her only) thread.
My money's on op being a DM journo "researching" for yet another shit, women hating article.

mambono5 and stealth
I would be interested to know why you say what you do? It is the case that SAHM aren't paying their way socially though isn't it? Not trying to judge, just to find the logic behind this. Whether partner is a high earner or not, isn't the partner still paying the same amount of tax or NI on their earnings as a single person would? They don't pay for two. Apart from council tax ( where the two would be counted in the household), how is the long-term SAHM paying for the health services, and general infrastructure they use? I know there is HRP, but that is really just a protection of the individuals record, and even the HRP credit is still paid for by society rather than the person. I'm not saying it is right or wrong but wonder why this seems OK and acceptable socially. I know several mums who have not worked outside the home since first child and all DC are now late teens or at uni. If they can afford not to work in terms of household income, that is understandable, but how are they making the social financial contribution most adults do? At least 20 years of financial contributions are missing. Expecting a whole packet of biscuits this time, but it doesn't seem far fetched to me that people who opt not to work once DC are at school (there will aways be a few exceptional circumstances I know), should pay at least NI contrbutions rather than have HRP. If parents on benefits are encouraged back into work when their youngest child is 5, as a society we seem to be saying that staying at home once children have started school is not essential. Why then do we give HRP to stay at home parents of older children? Is it an anachronism or is there a valid reason behind it?

I'm willing to bet this will be in The Fail in the next day or two.....

Normally if your kids are at school and you don't work, sure it's easier than working full time, but as said, who cares, it's not a competition and good on those who get it easier, more power to them, wish it was me.

Done both. Was SAHM for 10 years whilst I had four kids. It worked best for us those traditional roles. TBH I did feel bored at times but have also felt very bored in some jobs. Tried to keep myself stimulated - chaired toddler group etc, however in general loved those years.
returned to work when youngest 18 months. Nice to have the extra money but I do think I was more detached from younger kids because of it. It's harder to " see" your kids properly when you are away from them I found but perhaps that was just me.

I was a SAHM for 9 years, and realise how lucky I was, I thoroughly enjoyed my time with the children but when my youngest started nursery and I took a part time job and eventually a full time one I realise that going out to work has benefits too, I became me again and not just mum. however when I went back to work my house suffered and never looked as clean as when I was at home with the kids.

OpalTree - woman hating? Not sure where this has come from? Fascinating! Please explain anywhere I have implied this?

Course it will be. Think I'll hide any obvious DM threads.

Sorry forgot to add that I did feel I worked much harder when returned to paid employment. Just too much yo do, ended up with cleaner etc but I think I had to go back to work at that point or I never would have

Oh, what a surprise. Goady first post from a first time poster.

I can't see the point of being an SAHM till your children have gone to school. Or better still wait till they've left home completely.

Don't agree tbh, I have been both, working full time, single with four children, and a stay at home mum, and tbh, I found that after being at work, I came home feeling full of energy, energized from seeing the people I worked with (loved my job teaching at a school with kids with behavioural problems) and loving being home with the kids, and found it so much easier to sort dinner, get the house work done, get the kids sorted for bed and so on, however, when I was a stay at home mum, I found by the wednesday, I was bored shitless, most of the jobs already been done, and I found it hard to get into anything, and by the time the kids got home, I felt knackered!
I am a stay at home mum now but I also home educate my kids as we lost all confidence in our local schools, so I am working bloody hard, trying to give my kids a fun childhood, but still more exhausted than when I was working! ;-)

Basically, I agree with those who say don't judge! Who gives a shit, as long as you're happy doing what you're doing, and if not, change it! :-)

So what? It's not a competition. Good for those who can enjoy life without killing them selves!

A bit off topic - but chips I agree - teens are worse than toddlers in lots of ways...messier and more thoughtless and bigger - you can't just pick them up and stick them in a buggy ...everything has to negotiated. (for hours and their logic is often ....illogical)
Also teens feed themselves...the amount of times I have had to drag a protesting DD1 back into the kitchen to tidy up after herself - just how much mess can you make making cheese on toast?...how can you not notice you have split half a box of cereal on the floor and that crunchy noise when you walk is you treading rice krispies everywhere?..and I now expect to have to pick a wet towel up every time I go in the (dripping with condensation after a two hour shower) bathroom.
(I know she is 'worse' cos of ADHD but other parents have similar tales...)

I don't think a single poster on this thread has said being a sahm to school age NT dc (as per the op) is harder. Not one.
Some have said they found it boring.
Some have spoken about preschool age dc or children with SEN which is totally different to the ops question.

And yet lots of responses as if people have said it's harder.

When my son started school I hope to get back to earning more (I only worked part time- when DH took charge- when DS was preschool). However it soon became clear that it was not to be. A combination of DS special needs (which ruled out standard afterschool clubs) and DH working by then overseas, meant I struggled to work 2 short days a week. With medical appointments - having to collect DS for lunch each day and umpteen meetings it became clear I could not increase my paid work! In fact it got harder as he got older.
Every situation is different. I suspect working part time is a good compromise (if finances allow) for many.