Recognition for SAHM!!!

[groovychick2]

Does anyone else feel inferior bacause they do not work and are a SAHM? Another Mum at school the other day who works said to me "what are you doing today?" and before I could answer she added "Nothing I suppose"!! Bl*y Cheek!! As a SAHM you do not get days off, cant phone in sick, no one ever pats you on the back and says well done and more to the point you do not get paid!!!!

[groovychick2]

Good for you jojostar! You are right,even SAHMs deserve a day off!

[jojostar]

soz drop the kids at school doh!

[jojostar]

its brill being a sahm I particulally like mondays which is my sahm mum day off. I drop the kids at home and then take great pleasure in doing absolutely SOD ALL until i pick them up. I may read, have a long bath, watch a film or even stay in bed and nod on and off. I recharge my batteries and I'm a better mum for it for the rest of the week. No mum really ever gets time off its a 24/7 job but my lovely mondays keep me sane...

[GodzillasBumcheek]

Even when i didn't have the 21 month old to look after, there's still alot of washing, drying, rent/bill paying, shopping (takes a hell of alot longer with no car), school runs/taking forgotten pack-ups/forms/etc in, cleaning (damp house so needs thoroughness), looking after sickies...and the list goes on. Add to this that if i don't see my mum regularly she will forget who i am, and that even though i am home ft i still never seem to manage regular visits to friends/other family, and that sometimes (as today and yesterday) i have to do the whole lot while suffering from chronic migraine...i think possibly that wouldn't count as nothing.

Of course, WOHMs still end up doing the housework, school-runs etc as well as paid employment, don't they, so maybe that's why the comments.

[groovychick2]

Yes it worked this time-thanks son!! The theme tune for all us SAHMs!!!

[groovychick2]

www.youtube.com/watch?v=qAYLD06MefI

[groovychick2]

[lovelysongbird]

gc i think she was just
i would of probablt cheerly said yes and i love it !
don't let em see they upset you.

[ajm200]

Sycamoretree - I know what you mean about being able to hide in the loo for 5 mins peace at work. As a SAHM, I don't think I've been alone in the bathroom since my toddler learnt to walk and open doors and he announces what I've just done.. OK at home a nightmare in public.

Yesterday, my day started at 6am ended at 11pm. Got 3 hours sleep before DS woke up with teething pain. An hour later we both got back to sleep and were up again at 6am.. Sleep deprivation becomes a way of life

[groovychick2]

Sorry dont think my link below has worked!! Never done it before!Will ask my teenage son later. Thats what happens when you are an out of touch SAHM!!!!

[groovychick2]

uk.youtube.com/watch?v=qAYLD06Mefl

[Sycamoretree]

Well, I work FT and my DH is a SAHD and I know who has the harder job - him. And I work a highly paid corp type jobbey. If this woman is even able to drop at school, what kind of hours is she working?

The thing about working is, even when it's utterly shite and stressful, there's always the opportunity to just go to loo and hide for 5 mins, or go and make youself a cup of tea and chat with the receptionist for a few mins.

At home, the endless demand for attention is exhausting. I completely and utterly salute all SAHP's.

[PInkyminkyohnooo]

sorry some of that post was a bit bizarre, this laptop behaves very oddly sometimes!

[handlemecarefully]

I'm doing an Open University course now - for fun (i.e. just to keep my mental faculties sharp)...already have a first degree and a Masters, just thought I might study to give my brain a workout...because much as I enjoy SAHMdom, it doesn't necessarily stretch you intellectually (but then the same can be said of many salaried jobs)

[PInkyminkyohnooo]

Litchick* I plan to up the small amount of work I do in the evenings at the moment to during school hours once mine are all at school, but then I had a freelance business run largely from home before we began our family. I know some people crave the company of the office etc.

The other thing is that working for myseelf I've never some been part of a hierarcical work environment- I think that can make it hard for some people to adjust to the role of mother/father at home.

But I agree about how tragic it is that peopple only value work that is paid. If we all thought that society would really grind to a halt. There is a lot of volunteering that goes on in society today, and people really should remember that when they are asessing the intrinsic 'value' of work.

[handlemecarefully]

God no, I never feel inferior over this....

If another school mum said to me, "what are you doing all day, nothing I suppose" I would reply rather smugly "Yes and it's bloody great"

[groovychick2]

Busy doing nothing??? What a bl**dy cheek. You are no better than the wmoan in my original post. So today my nothing has comprised of kids morning routine, off to school etc,back to the school once dropped off to take some class information they wanted to bring,cleaning toilets,general tidying up,changing sheets & putting on line,ironing yeaterdays washing,booking car service and I have just come back from Tesco!Is it ok with you if I have a coffee before I pick them up and take them to swimming lessons then make tea, bath, bed,wait for my teenage to come home from his mates.....???

[Litchick]

When the DCs are little staying at home is not the easy option. A day at work is like a day out . But once they are in school it can be boring.
I work at home now so best of both worlds - but I know a lot of Mums who are kind of busy doing nothing. Nowt wrong with that but wouldn't suit me

[OrmIrian]

Oh I recognise SAHMs! There are loads of them at school in the mornings. They are usually the ones not rushing around like a stressed-out blue-bottle

[wahwah]

Jellybeans, I think you're right. If we intrinsically value what we do, then we don't need anyone outside to tell us whether we're doing something valuable. You also seem to have found a way to ensure that if needed, then you can be externally 'valued' with a wage-an enviable position to have all the bases covered!

[clutteredup]

SAHMs multi task!!
They do have coffee and chat to friends but normally they do this whilst juggling children, hanging out washing, emptying/filling dishwashers or ironing ( I normall avoid cleaning my house when I have friends round)
Or if they're out having coffee normally managing a child ( or two) running around, spilling drinks, changing nappies etc.
DH would say I had spent the morning MNing but during this time I have fed the baby and enteratined her, playing with toys and also mopping up the mess and wiping her nose.
MY DH once suggested that having coffe with a friend with my 2 DCs was just the same a shim having a drink in the pub after work - one day I shall drop the DCs off at the pub with him.........do think he'll agree then
I agree SAHM is good if its good for you and not f its not and its really not up to anyone else to comment.

[PuzzleRocks]

Well said Jellybean!
That's exactly how my husband and I feel.

[fortyplus]

When I was full time SAHM it always made me VERY cross when I saw references to the 'problem' of so many people remaining 'economically inactive'! Grrrrrrrrr!

[jellybeans]

'However, I think that in a society which only values us for our ability to grab money for our work, then how is work for no money valued? '
I think that is a fault of our selfish and capitalist society and should be considered as such. People should look deeper at relatiev and historic societies, this one isn't necc the right one. Yes we have to live in it (this society) and can't 'opt out' completely but we don't have to be conned by it or go along like sheep. People can look into themselves to be happy and not need valuing by society. I like to be different anyway and take some pleasure in not doing what people like Gordon Brown want to 'encourage' me to do such as go back to work lol.

[pagwatch]

wahwah
my dH and I are a team. All the money which flows into our household is our money.
He would be at your notion of a SAHM being employeed by her husband.
I just find it a bit sad