Am I the only one who doesn't feel bored as a stay at home mom?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Okay op - tell us, how do you fill your days? (plus what is your highest educational degree level, if at all?)

Not OP, but this was my day today:

I’m a SAHM with a SAC

Got DD to the bus at 8:30. Came home, made beds and tidied up, and then went for a run. Got back, showered, sat down to have coffee and breakfast and catch up on some news and check emails, etc.

Turned on a podcast and cleaned the bathrooms. Put away some laundry. After that, I drove to pick up something I bought on a mom2mom site, went to the post office to throw some cards in the mail, then went to Costco.

Came home, put away the things from Costco, and then ate lunch. After lunch, I went outside and cleaned up some yard debris for garbage day tomorrow. I came inside, put on another podcast and prepped a casserole for dinner. I then cleaned the kitchen.

Next, I sat down to watch a 30min episode of a Netflix show, and then left for school pickup at 3:45.

I have a BA and I’m happier at home than I ever was at work. I’m never bored. I find ways to fill my day. Sometimes with mundane tasks, always with exercise, and always with either a book or some other literature, or interesting podcast.

I am beginning to understand why 30 years of this would make someone has unintelligent as my MIL. You are just taking up space.

Took three whole pages for the really nasty poster to show up. You do understand that your comment says much more about you than it does the OP, right? Healthy, happy, secure people just don't say things like that.

If you say so.

Everyone says so. Common sense says so.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:2 graduate degrees, education & biology.. Worked 15 years, stayed home with my kids for the past 12 years. I love being SAHM and I am definitely not bored. My husband (and children) appreciate my efforts. I am very creative and love to cook, and do many things DH doesn't particularly like to do, like plan vacations. I spend my time raising (and enjoying) my children and buidling a strong relationship with DH. The only thing I don't like is some of the working moms., particularly those that have asked me to pick-up their kids and then insinuate that I am lazy or stupid for being a SAHM.

Yep, only SAHMs posted for first 4 response, and then this dig on working moms. Classy.

If you'd read it closely then surely you'd understand she wasn't digging on working moms. She specifically mentioned working moms that tried to take advantage of her flexibility as a SAHM to pick up their children, and then also insinuated that she was lazy or stupid for being a SAHM. I can understand where she is coming from. The vast majority of women have never treated me any differently for being a SAHM but every now and then I do come across someone who thinks less of me and my intelligence and capabilities because I'm not "working" outside the house. That I'm either a dumb blonde, a trophy wife, or lazy, or all of the above.

So it would've been OK if she shit said the black or Latino moms? It's obvious what she meant. She was generalizing across all working moms.

[Anonymous]

[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]2 graduate degrees, education & biology.. Worked 15 years, stayed home with my kids for the past 12 years. I love being SAHM and I am definitely not bored. My husband (and children) appreciate my efforts. I am very creative and love to cook, and do many things DH doesn't particularly like to do, like plan vacations. I spend my time raising (and enjoying) my children and buidling a strong relationship with DH. The only thing I don't like is some of the working moms., particularly those that have asked me to pick-up their kids and then insinuate that I am lazy or stupid for being a SAHM. [/quote]

Yep, only SAHMs posted for first 4 response, and then this dig on working moms. Classy. [/quote]

If you'd read it closely then surely you'd understand she wasn't digging on working moms. She specifically mentioned working moms that tried to take advantage of her flexibility as a SAHM to pick up their children, and then also insinuated that she was lazy or stupid for being a SAHM. I can understand where she is coming from. The vast majority of women have never treated me any differently for being a SAHM but every now and then I do come across someone who thinks less of me and my intelligence and capabilities because I'm not "working" outside the house. That I'm either a dumb blonde, a trophy wife, or lazy, or all of the above. [/quote]

So it would've been OK if she had* said the black or Latino moms? It's obvious what she meant. She was generalizing across all working moms.
* Siri watch your language.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Okay op - tell us, how do you fill your days? (plus what is your highest educational degree level, if at all?)

Not OP, but this was my day today:

I’m a SAHM with a SAC

Got DD to the bus at 8:30. Came home, made beds and tidied up, and then went for a run. Got back, showered, sat down to have coffee and breakfast and catch up on some news and check emails, etc.

Turned on a podcast and cleaned the bathrooms. Put away some laundry. After that, I drove to pick up something I bought on a mom2mom site, went to the post office to throw some cards in the mail, then went to Costco.

Came home, put away the things from Costco, and then ate lunch. After lunch, I went outside and cleaned up some yard debris for garbage day tomorrow. I came inside, put on another podcast and prepped a casserole for dinner. I then cleaned the kitchen.

Next, I sat down to watch a 30min episode of a Netflix show, and then left for school pickup at 3:45.

I have a BA and I’m happier at home than I ever was at work. I’m never bored. I find ways to fill my day. Sometimes with mundane tasks, always with exercise, and always with either a book or some other literature, or interesting podcast.

I am beginning to understand why 30 years of this would make someone has unintelligent as my MIL. You are just taking up space.

Took three whole pages for the really nasty poster to show up. You do understand that your comment says much more about you than it does the OP, right? Healthy, happy, secure people just don't say things like that.

If you say so.

Everyone says so. Common sense says so.

Actually PP meant 3 whole posts b/c the 4th post was an unprovoked attack on working moms.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:2 graduate degrees, education & biology.. Worked 15 years, stayed home with my kids for the past 12 years. I love being SAHM and I am definitely not bored. My husband (and children) appreciate my efforts. I am very creative and love to cook, and do many things DH doesn't particularly like to do, like plan vacations. I spend my time raising (and enjoying) my children and buidling a strong relationship with DH. The only thing I don't like is some of the working moms., particularly those that have asked me to pick-up their kids and then insinuate that I am lazy or stupid for being a SAHM.

Yep, only SAHMs posted for first 4 response, and then this dig on working moms. Classy.

If you'd read it closely then surely you'd understand she wasn't digging on working moms. She specifically mentioned working moms that tried to take advantage of her flexibility as a SAHM to pick up their children, and then also insinuated that she was lazy or stupid for being a SAHM. I can understand where she is coming from. The vast majority of women have never treated me any differently for being a SAHM but every now and then I do come across someone who thinks less of me and my intelligence and capabilities because I'm not "working" outside the house. That I'm either a dumb blonde, a trophy wife, or lazy, or all of the above.

So it would've been OK if she shit said the black or Latino moms? It's obvious what she meant. She was generalizing across all working moms.

What?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Okay op - tell us, how do you fill your days? (plus what is your highest educational degree level, if at all?)

Not OP, but this was my day today:

I’m a SAHM with a SAC

Got DD to the bus at 8:30. Came home, made beds and tidied up, and then went for a run. Got back, showered, sat down to have coffee and breakfast and catch up on some news and check emails, etc.

Turned on a podcast and cleaned the bathrooms. Put away some laundry. After that, I drove to pick up something I bought on a mom2mom site, went to the post office to throw some cards in the mail, then went to Costco.

Came home, put away the things from Costco, and then ate lunch. After lunch, I went outside and cleaned up some yard debris for garbage day tomorrow. I came inside, put on another podcast and prepped a casserole for dinner. I then cleaned the kitchen.

Next, I sat down to watch a 30min episode of a Netflix show, and then left for school pickup at 3:45.

I have a BA and I’m happier at home than I ever was at work. I’m never bored. I find ways to fill my day. Sometimes with mundane tasks, always with exercise, and always with either a book or some other literature, or interesting podcast.

I am beginning to understand why 30 years of this would make someone has unintelligent as my MIL. You are just taking up space.

Took three whole pages for the really nasty poster to show up. You do understand that your comment says much more about you than it does the OP, right? Healthy, happy, secure people just don't say things like that.

If you say so.

Everyone says so. Common sense says so.

Actually PP meant 3 whole posts b/c the 4th post was an unprovoked attack on working moms.

No, that comment was just working moms who looked down at her for staying home. And yeah, that was unnecessary because nobody likes anyone who looks down on other people. It would also be unnecessary for a working mom to say "gee I hate it when SAHMs say someone else is raising my kids". Yup, everyone would hate that and it's just not necessary to say it over and over. People who judge like that are insecure and unhappy with their choices.

[Anonymous]

[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]2 graduate degrees, education & biology.. Worked 15 years, stayed home with my kids for the past 12 years. I love being SAHM and I am definitely not bored. My husband (and children) appreciate my efforts. I am very creative and love to cook, and do many things DH doesn't particularly like to do, like plan vacations. I spend my time raising (and enjoying) my children and buidling a strong relationship with DH. The only thing I don't like is some of the working moms., particularly those that have asked me to pick-up their kids and then insinuate that I am lazy or stupid for being a SAHM. [/quote]

Yep, only SAHMs posted for first 4 response, and then this dig on working moms. Classy. [/quote]

If you'd read it closely then surely you'd understand she wasn't digging on working moms. She specifically mentioned working moms that tried to take advantage of her flexibility as a SAHM to pick up their children, and then also insinuated that she was lazy or stupid for being a SAHM. I can understand where she is coming from. The vast majority of women have never treated me any differently for being a SAHM but every now and then I do come across someone who thinks less of me and my intelligence and capabilities because I'm not "working" outside the house. That I'm either a dumb blonde, a trophy wife, or lazy, or all of the above. [/quote]

So it would've been OK if she had* said the black or Latino moms? It's obvious what she meant. She was generalizing across all working moms.
* Siri watch your language. [/quote]

Huh? Are you trying to imply that working moms are a protected class?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Okay op - tell us, how do you fill your days? (plus what is your highest educational degree level, if at all?)

Not OP, but this was my day today:

I’m a SAHM with a SAC

Got DD to the bus at 8:30. Came home, made beds and tidied up, and then went for a run. Got back, showered, sat down to have coffee and breakfast and catch up on some news and check emails, etc.

Turned on a podcast and cleaned the bathrooms. Put away some laundry. After that, I drove to pick up something I bought on a mom2mom site, went to the post office to throw some cards in the mail, then went to Costco.

Came home, put away the things from Costco, and then ate lunch. After lunch, I went outside and cleaned up some yard debris for garbage day tomorrow. I came inside, put on another podcast and prepped a casserole for dinner. I then cleaned the kitchen.

Next, I sat down to watch a 30min episode of a Netflix show, and then left for school pickup at 3:45.

I have a BA and I’m happier at home than I ever was at work. I’m never bored. I find ways to fill my day. Sometimes with mundane tasks, always with exercise, and always with either a book or some other literature, or interesting podcast.

I am beginning to understand why 30 years of this would make someone has unintelligent as my MIL. You are just taking up space.

When I asked the OP how she filled her day I did not hope for this kind of mundane minutae. I think I am just going to have to kill myself now, so bored.

Life IS mundane minutiae. A bunch of boring, routine moments with sprinkling of excitement. I know so many people who go to work every day thinking, I’m so bored; kill me now!

and the 2+ hours in traffic five days a week? Now that's a life waster. How many people are sitting in their cars on 495 thinking "kill me now"? That would be me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Getting back on topic

I never expected to be a SAHM but then DH got a great offer from his company to transfer to an overseas office. I had just had my first child so it seemed like a good opportunity to take a year or so off before returning to the workforce. Flash forward ten years and one more kid and we're still expats though we've moved countries a few times and I still stay at home. It's not quite what I expected to happen when I was in college or doing my master's or my initial years in the workforce. But do I have regrets? No. Life has been good. Even though we are expats it sounds more exotic than it really is and most of my daily activities are similar to what has already been described on here by other SAHMs. I run the house, prepare the meals, keep everyone's lives in working order, plan the vacations, manage (remotely) our rental property in the US and I am also involved with the family finances. DH makes the money but he's happy to leave the investments to me. In our case, it's also quite helpful having a SAHM to sort out all the little bureaucratic hurdles of being an expat. I also volunteer and I have a good social life with other families and play tennis frequently.

We will return to the US someday and I don't really have plans to return to work, although I also won't rule it out either. I'm actually quite happy being a SAHM and I don't base my self worth on going to an office every day and pushing paper around. I'm very, very happy for those who work and I'm thrilled it's not the 1950s with its conformist expectations for women. But I am also very happy with my life.

OMG, I must be superwoman! I do all the above plus I am also a working mom.
But good for you, PP.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Not the OP, but I'll answer the PP's question.

Highest education level - I have a Masters Degree

What do I do all day? - Clean, bake, cook, organize, decorate, shop, garden, take care of animals, do laundry, meet friends for lunch, work out (yoga and run), volunteer, hang out with my sisters, visit my parents, watch HGTV (way too much), pay bills and manage finances, run errands, ......... not sure how many more to list.

I'll really blow your mind. I don't have any young children at home. My youngest is a high school senior. The other are grown and gone. I am still never bored.

Yeah, I wouldn't be bored either if I could do what I wanted all day. Being an SAHM to someone who is almost an adult isn't the same as staying home with a toddler. So much kid stuff is mind-numbing.

[Anonymous]

The implication in this thread is that staying at home is preferable to working and the women posting that they aren’t bored seem to be gloating about it. So that is what is bringing out the venom from the working moms. Maybe I should start a thread about how great it is to be a working mom and see how the SAHMs respond.

[Anonymous]

I'm a WOHM, but I wouldn't be bored being a SAHM at all. If you're doing it right, you wouldn't be bored. And I mean park trips, museum trips, library story times, music classes, lots of sensory play and outdoor play.

We all know good and bad SAHMs and WOHMs, lets not generalize. Some people are better suited to one versus the other.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The implication in this thread is that staying at home is preferable to working and the women posting that they aren’t bored seem to be gloating about it. So that is what is bringing out the venom from the working moms. Maybe I should start a thread about how great it is to be a working mom and see how the SAHMs respond.

I can’t image very many would respond at all. I have lots of friends who WOH. I’m amazed at their ability to juggle so much.

The only time I judge a WOHM is when she she spends 50+ hours a week away from her kids. I would say the same about a SAHM who was never with her kids. And I will admit to feeling strongly that babies and young children need to be with their mothers. When men carry a baby for nine months and are able to breastfeed, I’ll feel differently. Everything about the way we are designed makes it clear that it is not natural or healthy for a mother to spend hours and hours away from her baby.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The implication in this thread is that staying at home is preferable to working and the women posting that they aren’t bored seem to be gloating about it. So that is what is bringing out the venom from the working moms. Maybe I should start a thread about how great it is to be a working mom and see how the SAHMs respond.

Please do start that thread. Seriously. It's the WOHMs that invade SAHM threads to tear us down, not the other way around.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So the thread was a question directed to SAHMs. And we ended up with a bunch of angry, bitter WOHMs hurling insults. I have many, many, many happy SAHM and WOHM friends. None of them hurl insults like I see here. As I said earlier, happy people just don't do that.

This is so true. This thread was such a breath of fresh air, until the predictable, bitter harpies showed up to show their disdain. I've always been so happy at home. Not only happy, but grateful - incredibly grateful for our good fortune. We're living the life we had hoped to live when we got married. A SAHP was always part of our plan, and I'm the lucky one who got to fill that role. I've been home for about 11 years and contemplating a return to work in the next year or so. But regardless of what I choose to do, I know I'll never find a role as fulfilling as being a SAHM.

Your gratitude has certainly paved a path for good fortune

Is this sarcasm? B/c someone who calls someone 'bitter harpies' doesn't feel like it fits with someone who is gracious?

Nope, wasn't sarcastic. Calling someone a bitter harpie doesn't mean you can't be gracious.