What did you give up to stay home with babe?

[Anonymous]

Don't those of you responding realize you're feeding a troll?

-signed, a SAHM

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm curious - what did you do or sacrifice to be able to stay home with babe if your partner doesn't earn enough to comfortably support the family on one income?
The sad posts from moms who must return to work break my heart. Lets hear from people who stayed home with babe despite the financial challenges, maybe this will give perspective to someone caught between a rock and a hard place.

My girl is 21 months old. It was unthinkable for me to send babe to daycare, because I was 100% sure that it was best for babe to spend her babyhood with me.

I left my dream job, and we went from having enough money to poor. It has been very stressful, especially on my husband. My previously good credit is now worthless, as I have had to leave bills unpaid. My husband is stressed out that he works all day but has no money for things he wants and needs. Now that babe is older, I have found part time work and am looking for something better.

But I honestly think that the financial hole we are in has been worth it, because any way you look at it, our babe is doing really well. I took advice from some of the best child development books such as "The First Three Years of Life" by Burton White. As a result, babe is independent, curious, well-behaved, happy, friendly, confident and healthy both physically and emotionally.

The way I see it, my babe has had a great start in life. I am proud of that. The money hole is a temporary problem that's within our power to fix, but there's no way to re-do the period when personality and worldview are forming.

Any other moms out there who chose to be poor or gave up much to stay home with their baby? Was it worth it?

You stiffed creditors in order to stay at home?

You don't know that the "result" of you choosing to SAH is your independent, curious, well-behaved, happy, friendly, confident and healthy baby. Mine possesses all of those attributes and I WOHFT.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Don't those of you responding realize you're feeding a troll?

-signed, a SAHM

Babe, I think most of us get it.

[Anonymous]

You remind me of the babe.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Babe. Babe. Babe. Babe.

Right? I just can't.

[Anonymous]

Better be careful, or you and your precious babe will end up on the street.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yikes.

+1, you purposing went into to debt to SAHM? That's nuts.

Signed,
A SAHM

[Anonymous]

Nothing. It was the best decision I made for myself and our family at the time.

[Anonymous]

We gave up saving money for retirement or anything else.

[Anonymous]

Come on we're not too old to enjoy this junior high slow dance classic (It persisted into the early 90s in my neck of the woods).

[Anonymous]

she is back. not a troll!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:she is back. not a troll!

huh?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You remind me of the babe.

What babe?
The babe with the power.
What power?
The power of voodoo.
Who do?
You do.
Do what?
Remind me of the babe.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Wow. I took four months of maternity leave before going back to work and getting a nanny. My oldest is now 4, and youngest is 2.5. They are both "independent, curious, well-behaved, happy, friendly, confident and healthy both physically and emotionally" within reason for their ages (my 2 yr old has just gotten the memo on terrible 2's).

It's great that you did what you felt was best for you and your family. And it's great that I did what I felt was best for me and my family. One of the best things I've learned outside of school, as an adult, is that there are wildly different ways to approach life and still become successful.

OP's kid is 1. Are not most babes well-behaved?

[Anonymous]

What a coincidence! I work full time and also have a child who is "independent, curious, well-behaved, happy, friendly, confident and healthy both physically and emotionally." We should get our kids together!