This is probably true, but I don't think many SAHMs understand the significance of what happens IF their spouse leaves. Am going through divorce right now. Was stay at home mom for 13 years (married 25). The current legal system in Maryland gives me almost no credit for those years. Alimony is only for a couple of years. The current system sucks for any stay at home parent. I wish I had more knowledge of this as I made the choice to stay at home. Knowledge is key. Who would have raised your children if you had done things differently? |
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^^ Wow, you're a little defensive. I only answered your questions. I don't give a shit how you define yourself, I was reacting to how you said you define yourself. Which in my opinion is pathetic. If you post it, I can comment on it.
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| Revolving door nannies and sitters suck for the kids. |
Ooh! From scratch and everything. What an awesome guy. So jealllllous. |
You should be. |
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Just asked my DH. His response - "Hell no. Stick my kids in a crowded daycare center? Or leave them with a sitter all day? Not going to happen".
He also said that "there isn't enough money in the world to make him want me to work outside the home again". And that we would "sell everything we own and move into an apartment before we would resort to daycare". So - No. He does not secretly wish I was bringing home a paycheck. |
Uh, OK. Hope he doesn't leave you so you have to get a job and your kids would have to go to that horrible place....daycare. |
Seriously, fuck the fuck off. |
Is that professional language? |
Sounds like my DH.
However, I have a feeling you are not hurting for money either (and neither are we). Not saying you have 1 M, but at the very least you can do with one salary. |
Yes it is. |
We are not hurting. But we are far from wealthy. My DH is a fed. He makes about $170,000. I am very careful with our money. I could not SAH if I wasn't frugal. |
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I have done both (and DH supported both) so don't have much of an opinion for me, but as to what men think, I once worked in a stressful, mostly guy environment. The men made comments to me every so often about how lucky my DH was because I worked and talked to me about how they wished their wives would work, but they couldn't tell their wives. I once heard one guy crying when he thought nobody else was there. It made a big impression. I think being a sole earner can be really stressful and it's hard for some men to admit that.
I don't think this is true of all SAH families or even most, and I have known happy and unhappy families of all types, just that my experience is that some men may really struggle even if they don't explicitly talk about it. I've also noticed some men can be really nasty and judgmental about daycare when they've never stepped foot in one or know the first thing about childcare. They sound ignorant but I assume that's coming from a place of stress. |
| Also I am PP immediately above and I don't know any SAHMs who meet this weird stereotype some of you have. The SAHMs I know work hard and I think they are pretty awesome people. Most families I know are loving regardless of who works, and they do what works for them. My only point I was trying to make is that I think some men find it stressful to be a sole provider but don't express it well. I also think that's true of a lot of people in roles that might not fit them well, not just working sole earners. |
Take note, everyone, how this wise husband refers to his wife's WORK at home. For those of us who married someone who believes "anyone" can raise the kids, cause that isn't REAL work anyways, what should we expect? Worse yet, if we ourselves believe that crap, that "anyone" can raise your children. And then we're puzzled when problems evolve. "Gosh, I wonder what the hell happened (while we were at the office)?" |