SAHPs - what do you contribute to society?

[paddypants]

Other than raising your family of course.

If you aren't working out of the house and your children are past the tiny stage, do you do anything else like volunteering or involvement with school?

DC3 will start preschool in September and although I definitely don't want to revisit my former career I feel I need to add another dimension to my life for a number of reasons - because I am smart and able, because I want to meet people other than school mums, because I need to invigorate my life a bit.

I thought about starting my own business but frankly, we don't need the extra income and I don't want to spend the time and energy required for such a venture. I have no great hobbies that I want to get stuck into. I just want to do something a bit useful and interesting that works around being at home.

Has anyone found such an outlet?

Yes thank you DelphiniumBlue - you are quite right that it sets a good example. I feel quite strongly that i want my privileged DC to always be doing some volunteering once they are a bit older but here I am doing nothing. Hardly an example to follow.

Partly its confidence I think. Having been out of the workforce for six years I feel I have forgotten how to operate in a non child environment. When I look at what my contemporaries have achieved in that time, I am amazed by them. It feels like they are adults and I am not.

I don't regret my choice to be at home as I place huge value on it but I don't feel it should be the entirety of my life either.

Thanks all for your suggestions. Time to get googling volunteer work

I help run a toddler group, I'm a BB leader and clean for an elderly family member one day a week. Not much but enough for me 😆

I get your question but do you have to imply that being a SAHP doesn't contribute to society in and of itself? Would you suggest that nannies don't contribute to society? Why then people who do the same job for free?

I think the question is actually 'how does society profit from you'?

I work part time but on the days I'm not at work I volunteer with the rainbows and chair the school PTA. These groups always need new volunteers. That being said you don't have to do anything more than you're doing unless you want to.

As a SAHP in Germany I first learned German and then:

Ran English clubs at our local school

Was the emergency childcare/favour provider for working friends. Often had an extra child present for tea, collected other kids from nursery etc. Our kids loved that.

Helped elderly neighbours with gardening, had time to chat
Helped with confirmation classes
Organised an annual community event
Learned how to cook, garden and do various bits of DIY
Coordinated donations for local children in need
Worked with refugees (in recent years)
Took part in various intercultural projects, was the go-to British person whenever one was called for

Do you have a local guild? You could do a term's-worth of classes in something (anything tbh! Ours does bridge, floristry, am dram, ski fit and loads more) just to ease you back in, then find something less 'organised'? Mind you, our guild often wants trustees, so you might get snapped up that way!

Ah yes, and PTA. Nobody wants to do that here and many people just don't have the time. So I did that for a while too.

OP I do think that having people with the time and energy to take on these roles strengthens communities.

I agree with PP that the childcare aspect of SAHP is directly equivalent to paid employment, though. If we don't do it, we have to pay someone else to look after the kids, feed them etc...

Just cleared the stages to be a Special Constable. Will start working with the Met Police after my training. Looking forward to it!

I volunteered as a peer supporter for a breastfeeding support group as I'd had help from them as a new, and not so new, mum. The training was brilliant, and I got a huge confidence boost, made friends, and got paid employment with another 3rd sector org as a direct result. I was SAHP for ten years. Loved it, and felt valued by my extended family, but I was getting bored and it was making my mh worse towards the end. Best wishes in whatever you find to get your teeth into.

Have you thought about fostering a child? That would contribute to society, and make a huge difference to the child concerned!

OP, I think it's great that you're asking this question! A family member of mine who is a SAHM learns Spanish and Italian, goes to art history lectures and is the first to visit every new exhibition and gallery. I like that she is doing things outside of the home, and broadening her knowledge and interests. It also makes it really interesting to chat to her, to find out about her speciality subjects!
Yes volunteering and helping other people is a wonderful thing to do, but maybe think about what you personally are interested in. Maybe you have a particular culture that you've always been fascinated by, or a craft?

P.S. I know your initial question was about contributing to society, which I haven't exactly answered, but like previous posters have said, don't stress out about that too much!

No I'm just a drain on society. I receive benefits and have no intention of goi g back to work any tine soon. My only responsibility is one child, lots of hospital appointments for said child and numerous therapy sessions. I am on good terms with his surgeon though.

Before baby I worked in social housing - some opportunity for volunteering if your local one does any kind of community development. I worked part tine as a youth worker - loads LG volunteering ops. I volunteered on a local community farm and for Samaritan's which I loved and miss dearly

I'm the annoying PTA mum. I also do some some unpaid marketing for our town board. Plus I lunch a lot so the local restaurants benefit....although that may be counteracted by the amount of times I hit them up for gift certificate donations for the PTA raffles 😄

I do it because it interests me more than any grand idea of benefiting society though. If it didn't, I would be more than happy pottering around at home.

Isn't raising the next generation enough in itself?

However, as I get bored I do...

(The job I would do if anyone would pay me!) Run the children's work in our church sunday service. Run the church toddler group. Help with Church youth group. I also end up being the go to person or anything else which might crop up at church involving children. I'm also on the parish council and get given/get involved with lots of other bits that need doing at church.

Help with PTA desperately trying to avoid actually being on the commitee and school events.

I too find it sad that SAHP isn't seen as worthwhile in its own right.

With children at school you are ideally placed with regard to volunteering in school. Where I work we have a bank of SAHP who are DBS checked who are called upon to accompany school trips, listen to readers, help with big art projects etc. Locally we have libraries that are being run by one or two staff and several volunteers. One big local residential area uses volunteers to drive elderly residents to hospital appointments as public transport isn't great.

I'm sure you'll find something, but please, don't believe that a SAHP is not making a worthwhile contribution to society.

I'm in the Royal Navy Reserve and try to keep up my annual commitment of 24 days. It helps that it contributes to the household budget too! I enjoy the complete escapism of a military pastime and the challenges it brings. I'm also running my local cloth nappy library which makes me feel like I'm making a positive contribution to local society. DH is serving military and works away a lot so I would struggle with a full time job.