To think stay-at-home parents have it easier than they let on?

[bappening]

I'm tired of hearing stay-at-home parents complain about how hard their day is. AIBU to think that working parents have it harder since they have to juggle work and home life?

@LuckySantangelo35 you couldn't go to the gym "anytime you want" because you are tied to school drop off/pick up.
Being a SAHM with school age children you are very much limited by the school hours and term times.
You aren't completely "free" to do what you want.

@Needmorelego

ah what about strength and resistance training though? I.e lifting weights? So important

@Needmorelego

well that’s true but it’s still a wider window than what mothers who work outside of the home get. Most people don’t get opportunity to exercise on their lunch break at work afterall.

Cool. But you could go to the gym at any point between 9 and 3. I can’t because I’m at work.

Being a stay at home mum to school age kids must be a doddle. obviously there are those kids with complex and challenging needs. But being a stay at home mum to most kids is much much easier than working and still having to do everything for your kids. The only time I’ve really experienced it is mat leave and that was so easy, even with a grumpy 3 year old and a baby that never slept.

If it was that much easier, why didn't DH jump at the chance? He was always keen to take the easy path.

I mean, I found activity around my kids that didn't involve going to the gym. I put my little ones in the bike trailer and hauled them around the forest, I walked a lot, often carrying a baby in a sling and did yoga through nap time. I managed not to fall apart. 😁

Probably humping shopping and child related stuff around for almost 17 years has done that for me.
I was in a physical job before that.
No need to go to a gym thanks 😂

It isn't a competition. Sahm or parents have their own challenges. You do you.

@Needmorelego

great!

You still have 6h per day during term time. That's 30h per week for 39 weeks of the year. Compare that to many working parents who get zero. Not sure what you don't get 🤷

@Whataninterestinglookingpotato that's true - those 6 hours when they are at school you are "free" but I wouldn't waste it on going to a boring gym though 😂😂

@Bluebells444 I do get it.
But unless a parent is a 100% single parent with no help they can also go to the gym anytime they fancy when they aren't at work.

Exactly.
Why do people care so much what other people do?

Lol, of course.

Because many men do anything they can to avoid looking after children.

Lifting the toddler everyday seems to help me?

Sitting on the sofa and watching TV instead.

Actually..... when my daughter was at primary school I did a lot of PTA volunteering which did take up quite a bit of time.
(oh ok.....far too much Judge Judy 😂)
Whatever though. It's my life and my choice.

I don't think I've ever heard a SAHM or a mum who works say that. Most parents do raise good people regardless but they don't go round saying it..

Me neither-I’ve never heard anyone say that.

I’d take being a stay at home mum with a partner over being a single, working 50 hours a week mother any day. I don’t know how I managed missed out on so much of my dd growing up was dead on my feet 24/7 never got a day off weekends were shit because I needed to prep for the next hellish week, finding holiday clubs, paying for holiday clubs being late to pick her up and drop her off was the shittest parent going but needed food on the table and a roof over our heads. Pretty sure it’s given me ptsd.

Being a stay at home parent was a joy for me. But I had 15 years of a successful career behind me. I had a supportive well paid partner. I had good health and a healthy baby, a nice place to live, active and involved family and friends, a car and crucially it was what I wanted and chose to do. So yes, for me it was easy.

This is a different issue. I don't think anyone would claim single mothers had an easy time. The question is about stay at home mothers, so you have to consider it in isolation, rather than muddying the waters.

This!

Worked while DC were young and some days work felt like a break.

now am SAHM while DC are at school and it’s far, far easier (shhh, don’t tell my DH). 😛