SAHM versus a WOHM - what have you chosen and why?

[Gateau]

Turn it into a HUGE bun fight if you want to, but this isn't my intention. I'm just interested in hearing which people prefer - and why.
EACH TO THEIR OWN.

wohm ft. because......
i love my job and im good at it
couldn't afford to sahm and pay the mortgage (tho admit if we moved to outer hebrides and lived off beans on toast we could afford me not to work)
dont want to put all financial eggs in same basket as we would be doing if dh was sole breadwinner and i was sahm
planning another child at some point and want to maximise earnings now for future mat leave after which i might make a different decision
work gives me status, self-esteem and independence: wouldn't ever want to feel i was unemployable if we got divorced
my job can't really be done pt which would be my preferred option otherwise
oh and the really critical one: am lucky to earn enough to afford bloody good childcare which helps with the crippling guilt....
am secretly jealous of sahms but know in my heart i'd probably go mad being one. would love to for a year tho...

Love work, love the money so I work 4 days a week. Not quite full time but near enough.

I'm happy with my childcare arrangements and DCs are thriving plus I am off in all school holidays and home from work by 4.30 most days.

I think this one depends on so many factors that there's no easy one size fits all answer.

WOHM P/T as a solicitor, which means M-F, 9-5, because...

1. I worked for ten years (university, law school, two realy crap jobs) to get to where I am now, so stepping off of the career train at this point would seem taking several steps back, and would take several years to make up for;

2. I LOVE my job and I LOVE my boss;

3. I feel very supported by my boss and (most) of my co-workers in my part-time status, and feel that it allows me to achieve a good work/life balance;

4. I make more than DH (my salary pays for 100% housing, 100% savings/retirement/college fund, and 50% other expenses), so it really isn't feasible for me not to work unless we really tightened the belt and moved far out of London;

5. I am lucky enough to have my mom living with us to help care for DS, and can afford also to have a nanny looking after him P/T, and she's been with us since he was six weeks old (he 17 months now);

6. We want to have another one, and this amazing country gives you the option of taking a year off, so I'll take that option and will be able to keep my job that I love and still spend loads of time with DS and the new LO, which is a best of both worlds solution for me;

7. Like AnnieMac said, working to provide for my family is an act of love;

8. If I were a SAHM, I think I would probably become very depressed and bored as I've been used to the fast-paced, high-stress, high-energy lifestyle of securities law and would find it difficult to slow down / shift gears to looking after DS and maintaining our home;

9. All that being said, there are still days when DS is distressed that I am leaving for work and I think that I am doing him and me a disservice for not staying home and being his primary caregiver. I don't think it's all roses and easy choices, but (1) to (8) above make it an easier choice.

This is a fantastic thread, thanks to everyone for sharing without judgment.