Anonymous wrote:I never really thought about it - my mother was a housewife and quit her job as soon as she got married, and so that's the expectation I had for myself when I got married too. Working isn't all that great. I have a much better time waking up when I want, not having to rush through workouts and errands and meals and phone calls, can wear whatever I'm in the mood to wear.

There's plenty to do to fill up the day. I like not working.

So you planned to be a vicarious consumer?


Wow.

Anonymous wrote:Aside from going bonkers in less than a week from boredom, I'd be annoyed with having to say "nothing" anytime someone asked me what I did. Or dealing with their eye roll when I tried to say something like "chief executive of our house".

So you work because you don't have the wherewithal to occupy much free time and because you cave easily to peer pressure.

Anonymous wrote:What do you "fill up the day" with when you're not working and don't have kids?

Tons of stuff! Travel, work out, get together with friends, take random classes that interest me (like right now I'm taking a cooking class), go to the beach house, read books, go shopping.
All those things you wish you could do but don't have time for because you're working? I do them. Plus, I'm not exhausted when DH gets home from work!

I supposed women who stay home and don't have kids have lives similar to people who retire. Travel, charity, exercise, house projects, etc. Why not, if you have the money?

Aside from going bonkers in less than a week from boredom, I'd be annoyed with having to say "nothing" anytime someone asked me what I did. Or dealing with their eye roll when I tried to say something like "chief executive of our house".

Seriously, WHY would you work if you don't have to unless you love your job? I certainly wouldn't.

Smart phones, big houses, fancy cars, vacations where you take an airplane, skiing, second homes. There are so many options when you've got the money. Sure, quitting a crappy job fits on the list.

A challenge in the DC area is that I would expect there is social pressure to prove to people that you're doing something of great importance.

What do you "fill up the day" with when you're not working and don't have kids?

I never really thought about it - my mother was a housewife and quit her job as soon as she got married, and so that's the expectation I had for myself when I got married too. Working isn't all that great. I have a much better time waking up when I want, not having to rush through workouts and errands and meals and phone calls, can wear whatever I'm in the mood to wear.

There's plenty to do to fill up the day. I like not working.

By the way, why is ths such a big deal to you? Hopefully you realize that there just *may* be circumstances that you are not privy to...and even if these women "just feel like it", what's the harm?

All the women I know who did it have some mental health issues, mostly mild depression. More power to them for taking their needs seriously and working as a couple to do what was best for their family. They are all great parents now.

I quit when we started trying to conceive. I was in a really f'ed up situation with my boss - toxic environment, to say the least. I knew I'd stay home once I was pregnant, so even though I dabbled around with a few interviews, I ultimately decided it wouldn't be fair to accept the job knowing I'd quit a few months into the pregnancy. I worked very stressful and high-powered jobs for 10 years before becoming pregnant - can't tell you how nice this little bit of time off has been before the little one arrives.

Yes, it was that bad. I was sick to my stomach every day. Once I quit, a huge amount of stress was relieved.

I planned on taking a few months off before baby. Of course things didn't go as "planned", and it took me 3 years to have a baby.

And this personally affects you how?

I know several guys now who are recently married and whose wives have promptly quit working upon marriage. I assume because this is in anticipation of having children but none of said wives are pregnant. The men are wealthy but not uber-rich where it might be expected that wives would join socialite class.
Explain to me why you would quit working BEFORE you are even pregnant. Is working THAT bad?