SAHM

[VGoghsEar]

To think most women would prefer to be a SAHM given the choice. I don't know of anyone IRL that would choose to work if they didn't have to.

Yep

Baby and toddler years - work

School age kids - SAHM 😜

If money were no object, I'd be part time. Doing a job I love regardless of pay.

I never intended to be a sahm - it happened by accident (difficult 2nd pg combined with a job ending), but it was great and I have thoroughly enjoyed it. Much nicer (to me) than trying to make my Year 9s learn Shakespeare or even just behave themselves!

I think you have to be a certain type of person though - I am happy with my own company for long periods of time, am able to entertain myself and don't rely on colleagues or work for mental stimulation or validation. I enjoyed being with my children full time - I'd gone back to work very early with dc1 and felt I'd missed out.
Sah has also meant that I could have more dc than if I'd decided to go back to work. I wouldn't have been able to cope with a big family and a ft job.

If I'd been ambitious, career wise, or if I'd just loved my job more, maybe I'd feel differently.

First of all, it is work. I am a SAHP, love it, adore it, couldn't be happier.... but you are very wrong. I know lots of friends who would have gone crazy without being able to work. It's pretty naive to think that every single parent wants to spend 24 hours a day with their child.

God no. I was a SAHM for a while but was bored senseless with the mundanity of the day to day. However, we didn't have a great amount of disposable income. I would perhaps enjoy it more if I could afford to go to classes/activities everyday.

Absolutely not! I hated being at home during maternity leave and was glad to go back to work, I need the structure

That's a completely different question absolutely irrelevant to being a sahp.

Where did I say 'every single parent'

I went back to work for a rest. The joy of being able to buy a sandwich for lunch and eat it in peace.

Absolutely not, I’d have never given my job up completely. I was part time for a few years but full time again, I couldn’t imagine anything worse than being a SAHM.

I will say the downside though is how other people view you as a sahm. Theres an assumption that you are boring, which is crazy hecause there are a hell of a lot of dull jobs out there. And my job could be great at times, so sometimes I do miss it at bit.

I was that person and I chose to work.

For clarification as a few people are misunderstanding the reason I asked the lottery question.

I asked this to the people that had already answered they like to work. Some have said they would still work even if they won the lottery.

Yes, I'd find work to do that I enjoyed and felt added value to the world.

Tbh I enjoy my career and have always been independent.

I would choose work. I went back to work part time and basically broke even so I could go back. I needed the balance of both with the goal to go full time again when they went to school and I did. Nothing wrong with it if that's your preference but definitely not mine

I was a SAHM for 5 year and now work pretty much fill time.

If I could I would resign tomorrow and go back to be a SAHM.

I loved it. I don't love my job so that may be part of it but the freedom to just have the holidays with the children not worrying about annual leave entitlement.

I feel like I was auch better parent when I was a SAHM

Feel thoroughly depressed at the thought of work tomorrow and another stressful week ahead of not having time to do anything properly because of having to sit at a lap top for 6 hours a day.

I’d rather not work. Had 5 years off with my kids. If I didn’t need the money, I would do it again in a heart beat.

I had the option of being a SAHM but I was not willing to give up my financial independence.
If I won the lottery I would of stayed at home as I would of been financially stable.

SAHM here, this thread makes me feel better. I feel ungrateful for sometimes not enjoying it, wanting a break, not wanting to do the clearing up again, or food shop or washing etc etc and just feeling lonely. Will be going back to work soon and hopeful this will give me a new sense of purpose!

I'd hate it.

Absolutely this. I would also never rely on a someone else for my financial security or expect them to be solely financially responsible for me.

I would love to be a stay at home. Instead I'm a manager at work because someone needs to pay the mortgage and bills and I'm a single parent so it has to be me.
I'm not sure I'm the majority though.

I adopted my ds aged 3 and a half so didn't experience maternity leave and there was no such thing as adoption leave in those days. I was a SAHM for 3 days a week with him and my mum looked after him the other two days whilst I worked. I'd have liked to have been with him 5 days a week but my job wouldn't allow it. The happiest times of my life were being with him those 3 days for that one year and I completely understand why anyone who can afford to be a full time stay at home mum would want to.

I enjoyed being a sahm when I knew it was for a limited time, but was happy to be back at work once the DC were school age. If I didn't enjoy my job then obviously that would be different. I also don't think its good for anyone's mental health to have a life that revolves solely around their home and family. Everybody needs their own 'thing'.