to thank all the WOHM who made it possible for me to be a SAHM?

[iwastooearlytobeayummymummy]

I was a SAHM for a Verrrry long time but without WOHM it would not have been possible so here goes a big thank you to

midwives, health visitors, teachers, solicitors,SALT, nurses, doctors, shop workers/ retailers,social workers, writers, cleaners, child minders the list goes on,

please add

How can a doctor/nurse/midwife work from home? (not sarky, just curious)

WOH = work outside home.

I can't add anyone I'm afraid and wouldn't have anyone on my list other than DH.
The fact that my DH works and earns money made it possible for me to be a SAHM.

I appreciate what people in those professions do, but they didn't have anything to do with enabling me to be a mum at home.

lockets - I don't think it's that she would have had to be a WOHM if it weren't for these women.

It's that these women have a vital function in her life (as a SAHM). I think the point of the post is to render visible the work of WOHM, and show how they weave through the lives of SAHM (and many, many people) and stitch together the fabric of our lives.

So, for eg., it was a WOHM who helped deliver my ds. It was WOHM (in the main) who were the midwives and HVs who helped me through the early days of being a mother.

It's WOHM who work in shops, and schools, and so on.

Our lives criss-cross and have a mutual dependency.

Our lives are made possible, at many levels, by WOHM. The woman you meet when you go to see your GP is a female GP, but she is probably also a WOHM.

(I think it's rather a lovely post, actually.)

Well, that's how I read it. Could be wrong.

(Nosily looked at your profile - gorgeous babies.)

As someone who has been both WOHM (teacher) & SAHM, thank you for that post, and very well expressed animula.

Now that I'm a SAHM, I do my best to support other mums, especially the hard working teacher mum of one of dd's best friends - yes, I will take your daughter from 7 am onwards, cos your school is working, but our daughters have the day off.

'Our lives criss cross' indeed, and I hate to think that we ever do anything other than help each other out.

If it's an OP to say thanks to everyone who has a job which makes it easier for everyone - ie postmen delivering mail, doctors, refuse collectors etc then I can see it's a nice sentiment but it could be said of both men and women whether they are a parent or not,in any job where the result of their job affects other people - law enforcement, teaching, hospital work, advancement of science, the list goes on. I don't think it's specific to women and mothers.

hmm, but it does seem to be mums (not all, and no judgement attached to this) to young children who feel the conflict most between wanting to be home with the family, and having to go to work. if, in addition, they are doing a 'helpful' job, then saying thank you once in a while is nice.

it was hard when i was teaching (and dd was under 5) to hear mums of 'my' pupils say 'well, i can't have a job, they might need me'. i taught secondary, and sometimes i felt like saying, 'funny that, my dd needs me, she's only 1/2/3 and you're chatting away to me non-stop'.

I think it's important to thank people.

Can I have a thank you for giving up my career to quite possibly another woman, reducing our household income considerably as a consequence and doing my best with my children despite feelings of boredom and diminution?

weird op

Bin that -- I'd like to thank all the other SAHMs who've helped me in so many ways over the last ten years with company, advice, childcare, friendship, meals, lifts, emergency help, listening ears, humour, patience, comfort.. and so on.

The only people how made/make it possible for me to be a SAHM is dh & me..

Don't understand the OP. I get that WOHM do lots of vital & great jobs. But that isn't only down to them!

There are childless people in all the careers mentioned and in many other careers too.

"Our lives are made possible, at many levels, by WOHM. The woman you meet when you go to see your GP is a female GP, but she is probably also a WOHM"

Yes, our lives are made possible by these people, but the option/ability to be a SAHM is not affected in any way by my GP, by a cleaner, by a childminder etc.

Our lives are also made possible by men.

I dont go to work to support sahm. I go to pay the mortgage...

And people insist sahms don't have a chip on their shoulder?

I think the op is rather nice and in the spirit she intended I will add the NCT volunteer who ran the baby group I so much enjoyed in my dd3's first year. I'm quite sure she had other things to be doing but she chose to do that.

Now I shall go to my wohm job and by working pay tax and NI which goes towards supporting everyone in this country.

Thanks Animula for expressing my view so eloquently, and of course there are plenty of non parents doing these jobs too, but without the contribution of WOHM bringing up my children would have been a hell of a lot harder.

My DH also made it possible for me to be a SAHM and I too gave up status, pension, promotion, and career progresion.However spending time with my children was a privelige that I don't regret despite the economic consequences.( they have been told they will have to keep us in our old age )

However I will confess to having been a very judgy pants SAHM at the time, and it is only now that I've come to my senses and taken those pants off , so to speak.

And that is why this post may seem wierd Legality

I am a nursery nurse and that means I work and look after my own child at the same time. One of the only jobs were you can look after your child 24/7 and work. Thats what most childminders do as well but cheers for the thanks anyway lol.

theres no man here riven....i move my own spiders

Every so often I have a confidence crisis about being a SAHM when I think "everyone thinks I'm crap/lazy/brainless/boring because I don't have a job". I think it is because women feel judged for either option that they 'have a go at' the other option sometimes.

I don't actually want a job, and I made the decision that me being a SAHM was the best option for the welfare of my particular family (DH's job is so stressful and sometimes long that he can't be here much for helping children with homework, going to things the children are in at the school etc and is too tired to do any housework at all so I need to do all of that and have enough energy left to be tolerant with the kids and happy about doing things with them. When I was working (part time) I seemed to be shouting far too often at the kids and being too tired to enjoy being with them).

I definitely have a chip on my shoulder, feeling I have to justify myself with all that writing!

I can't help feeling like a failure sometimes that I wasn't strong enough to do my job outside the home and look after the children and do housework without getting too stressed, when some women seem like they are strong enough to do this. I hate feeling like a drip. I feel inferior to women who can do it. (I do feel good about doing a better job of being a mother than I used to though.) I don't know whether I'm being paranoid but I feel like other people think I'm lazy and brainless because I don't have a job. I want to feel important. I know that I think motherhood is the most important job there is and I shouldn't worry what other people think, but some days you just want other people to think you're good as well.

I have never been an SAHM because I couldn't cope with being at home with small children all day. Would drive me potty and I am convinced I would turn to drink. I take my hats off to those of you that do it and don't think that you're crap/lazy/brainless/boring

animula - think that was beautifully put