Reply to Are you happy as a SAHM of school aged kids? Why or why not?

Forum Index » General Parenting Discussion

Reply to "Are you happy as a SAHM of school aged kids? Why or why not?"

Subject:

Emoticons





More smilies

Text Color: Font: Close Marks

[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Funny you should post this as I've been thinking the same thing.  DC is starting Kindergarten, and I thought (several years ago) that at this point I'd be looking to ramp up at work, rather than scale back (or even leave the workforce).  DH's career is on an upward trajectory.  He makes a lot more money than he did a few years ago but he also works more hours and has less flexibility (there was never a lot, but now there's basically none).  I don't see this changing. He's never going to split the snow days and sick days, be at home to deal with the home repair contractors, etc.  He's never going to help with meals and housework when he's working long hours at the office and then coming home and working more after DC goes to bed. I also see that the elementary years entail a lot of driving to activities after school and on the weekends.  It was easier when DC was younger as she never had anywhere to be in the evenings and we would hang out at home most of the time on the weekends.  Now it's run, run, run.  All of this is on me, and it's hard to have a job and feel like I'm giving it much energy when there's just no time for downtime, exercise, etc.  I'm sick of being stressed out, sometimes to the point that I've actually become really ill (like illnesses that take months to recover from).  DH makes good money and I have family money.  So we don't need the money and it's hard to keep this up when I don't even really have the intrinsic motivation to give much energy at work.  Why not just try to enjoy my life?[/quote]

Then go for it. I just recommend making sure it is less of a gut decision and that you sit down and work out the details a bit in advance.

I would love to not work. I don't hate cleaning the house but it is not my favorite thing to do. I would like to make nicer meals. I would like to do more for charities and DS school. I can totally see the desire to stay at home.

This is not feasible for us. We both make a good living but losing one salary, and I make more then DH, would dramatically effect our lifestyle. We wouldn't be able to travel and do some of the nicer things that we do. DH's time in the work force would be massively pushed back.

Right now we are lucky to have jobs that are very flexible and we have one kid so we can handle all of DS activities while both working and handle sick days and snow days. It does mean that I am a bit more tired and drained then I would like to be. And we have nice meals, on the days that DS has no activities, and we out source the house hold cleaning (once every two weeks).

Strangely enough, I am not certain that my husband feels the same way. I have joked about winning the lottery and not working and he looks at me like I am crazy. I have no problem filling in my days (tennis, gym, cleaning, errands, volunteering) in my imaginary non-working world. Heck, book clubs at the local tea shop.

But I don't dislike my job or my life. I am pretty content with it. I know that I am lucky to have a job that pays well and is flexible. I love that I get to take care of my DS after he comes home from school. I wouldn't want to put the additional pressure on my husband or give up the vacations and nice dinners out and the like. And I know that I will be retiring earlier then normal because of the money we are tucking away. [/quote]

Options

	Disable HTML in this message
	Disable BB Code in this message
	Disable smilies in this message

Review message

Search Recent Topics Hottest Topics