Anonymous wrote:I am sure the new routine is bewildering. I can't imagine the pressure valve that would be released if I were suddenly able to stay home, so the opposite must be a shock to the system.

Observationally, I'm shocked by the lack of resourcefulness in new employees across the board. I will say the one SAHM I worked with who returned to the workforce had very little prior experience and she was super sharp and ready to learn, so most of my anecdata comes from college grads and experienced hires. People come to me with asks on things like how to number ppts, how to resize screen shots, what certain standard govt acronyms represent. With the advent of google and youtube, there is ZERO excuse for asking these types of questions. You can learn everything from administrative office basics to advanced topics from tutorials on youtube. A quick google search will answer 90% of questions. Sure, there are role and task-specific questions I expect to answer but I'm baffled by the garbage adults can't figure out on their own. My 4th grader used a pdf tutorial on google docs to figure out something he was stumped by. I don't think it's a SAHM thing.

I agree, and I kind of chuckled at the person upthread who said they used Word in college and therefor knew how to use it. I work with professionals with advanced degrees, who presumably wrote lengthy papers in college and grad school and know nothing about how to actually create a Word doc with a functional table of contents, page numbering, and section breaks required by the agency to which they have to submit it. And, if one more person tells me how "lucky" I am that a lot of my staff is younger and "tech savvy", I am going to scream - yes, if I ever want to know how to create a TikTok video or Instagram feed, by all means, I will give them a call - but they have NO useful business software skills. I'm in my 40s and my peers and I can run circles around them on pretty much any office productivity or database software, even Slack and Trello, or will look things up on the internet if we don't know how to do something specific. I have started interviewing for problem-solving skills because I do not have the time of day to answer questions that would take five seconds to google.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m just not sure after 7 years if I’d ever want to go back to working full time. I’ve had a taste of enjoying my life and my family and my hours being mine. I just can’t see any world where I’d willing trade my hours of my life every day to a company.

Really? I can't see ANY world where you would be willing to trade hours of your life every day to a company? Not a world in which you needed to earn money in order to shelter and feed yourself or your family? Not a world in which you needed a job for healthcare benefits?

Sheltered, indeed.

Seriously. I cannot stand this kind of SAHM - "Oh, why would anyone WORK? I can't imagine giving up my precious free time to some COMPANY. Ew, who would even consider such a thing!" Hope the trust fund continues to provide adequate returns and your spouse never runs off with a coworker half your age.

If you can think of not having to work in this manner, you are a very privileged person. Most people don't have any choice but to trade their hours for the money that provide indoor shelter and food. If your kids are in school and you have all sorts of me time without worrying about finances or healthcare, you're doing really well in life. At least be appreciative and acknowledge you're lucky.

I think it all depends on your education and skill level. I am a SAHM who was in IT field so I lean quite a bit towards using tech to make things easier for me. But, goodness gracious, I watched in dismay how confused parents and teachers were when the school system switched to remote learning during the pandemic. I think they feared online education more than the pandemic itself. And it was all kinds of people - working, not working, blue collar, white collar.

My kids learned powerpoint, excel, word from me when they were in 3rd grade and we were doing a project together. However, I know working people who cannot set up a group meetings or place a conf call. Some do not know how to use google docs or one-drive, how to back up their work in the cloud or they are nervous about downloading and using apps in their smart phone. They cannot use formulas to manipulate data on a spreadsheet, or use a tool to create a webpage. I know working women who don't know how to do their taxes and their husbands do it for them.

You may think that going from SAHM to WOHM is not that easy because it seems like a different world. IMHO, it is the same when you get a new job. Different companies have different way of doing things, their tech could be different and their procedures and culture could be different.

Anonymous wrote:I totally get it OP, and sorry this post turned into a SAHM bashing thread. I never SAH but I spent 4 years in low pressure boring mommy track jobs, and it was a total system shock when I transitioned back to a high pressure, high performing "big" job. Before kids I was a successful consultant in a stressful industry so I thought it would be an easy transition, but it honestly took months to shift my mindset back into "big job" mode! I'm pretty sure my boss had huge regrets about hiring me at first! I'm doing great now but it was definitely a rough bumpy couple of months. Be patient with yourself and understand it may take some time to feel like you have a good handle on things. It's normal so don't beat yourself up!

I’m a SAHM and I do wonder about this! How was the transition for your home life?

I totally get it OP, and sorry this post turned into a SAHM bashing thread. I never SAH but I spent 4 years in low pressure boring mommy track jobs, and it was a total system shock when I transitioned back to a high pressure, high performing "big" job. Before kids I was a successful consultant in a stressful industry so I thought it would be an easy transition, but it honestly took months to shift my mindset back into "big job" mode! I'm pretty sure my boss had huge regrets about hiring me at first! I'm doing great now but it was definitely a rough bumpy couple of months. Be patient with yourself and understand it may take some time to feel like you have a good handle on things. It's normal so don't beat yourself up!

I am sure the new routine is bewildering. I can't imagine the pressure valve that would be released if I were suddenly able to stay home, so the opposite must be a shock to the system.

Observationally, I'm shocked by the lack of resourcefulness in new employees across the board. I will say the one SAHM I worked with who returned to the workforce had very little prior experience and she was super sharp and ready to learn, so most of my anecdata comes from college grads and experienced hires. People come to me with asks on things like how to number ppts, how to resize screen shots, what certain standard govt acronyms represent. With the advent of google and youtube, there is ZERO excuse for asking these types of questions. You can learn everything from administrative office basics to advanced topics from tutorials on youtube. A quick google search will answer 90% of questions. Sure, there are role and task-specific questions I expect to answer but I'm baffled by the garbage adults can't figure out on their own. My 4th grader used a pdf tutorial on google docs to figure out something he was stumped by. I don't think it's a SAHM thing.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just want to note: Those who SAHM, when you start transitioning back to getting a full-time job after many years and add in there a career change, IT IS BEWILDERING! I feel like I am on an alien planet right now as I venture on this new pathway.

So you have never worked or something?

I mean my kids homework is done with Google classroom, my Girl Scouts coordinate in Google Drive, and we use email and calendaring for all sorts of family and friend “work processes”

I think the only thing really different is that you are now accountable to some one; before with the kids you answered to no one but now you have a boss, clients etc?

Acting like using a google drive for Girl Scouts and emailing about carpool is the same as a paying job is absurd.

That said, any change or new job or new routine is exhausting at first. Even if it’s going from one paying job to another. But you can do it OP. And it’s good for your brain! It will get easier.

I've gone back to work fulltime after being a SAHM for many years and I agree with the OP - it was bewildering at first. Google Docs made my head hurt - people all changing the same document, sharing and all of that. But it has been a year, I'm pretty senior in an NGO, fortunately working from home so its not such a shock with getting up and out the door, and I have to say I like it. Nice to get positive feedback from adults.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Typical for a SAHM reentering the workforce. Some don’t even know Microsoft basics - how to check email, use Word, setup a spreadsheet. My mom stayed at home for 25 years. When she went back to work, all she could muster was a part-time job at a jewelry store. Besides a loss of technical skills, SAHMs seem to be out-of-touch with the world, in general. Basically, they struggle with the most simple workplace tasks and to even understand the world around them. As you say, it’s like a different world to them. Though I love my mom, she was useless to help me decide a major, write a resume, or navigate the practical world. Lots of hugs and kisses, but otherwise not helpful.

You are an idiot. And that’s being generous.

She has a point. We all need to look up to our parents. My guess is this OR's mom really didn't do very much and had very little adaptability. That last character trait is what prevents atrophy.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m just not sure after 7 years if I’d ever want to go back to working full time. I’ve had a taste of enjoying my life and my family and my hours being mine. I just can’t see any world where I’d willing trade my hours of my life every day to a company.

Some people need mkbeyvv bc abd don’t have a choice. I suspect it’s most people though they say they would NEVER not eitovs paying job. Yeah right.

Wut?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Typical for a SAHM reentering the workforce. Some don’t even know Microsoft basics - how to check email, use Word, setup a spreadsheet. My mom stayed at home for 25 years. When she went back to work, all she could muster was a part-time job at a jewelry store. Besides a loss of technical skills, SAHMs seem to be out-of-touch with the world, in general. Basically, they struggle with the most simple workplace tasks and to even understand the world around them. As you say, it’s like a different world to them. Though I love my mom, she was useless to help me decide a major, write a resume, or navigate the practical world. Lots of hugs and kisses, but otherwise not helpful.

I feel like this response is the OP sock puppeting to start drama. I call troll.

+100
So transparent.

Anonymous wrote:Typical for a SAHM reentering the workforce. Some don’t even know Microsoft basics - how to check email, use Word, setup a spreadsheet. My mom stayed at home for 25 years. When she went back to work, all she could muster was a part-time job at a jewelry store. Besides a loss of technical skills, SAHMs seem to be out-of-touch with the world, in general. Basically, they struggle with the most simple workplace tasks and to even understand the world around them. As you say, it’s like a different world to them. Though I love my mom, she was useless to help me decide a major, write a resume, or navigate the practical world. Lots of hugs and kisses, but otherwise not helpful.

You are an idiot. And that’s being generous.

Anonymous wrote:I’m just not sure after 7 years if I’d ever want to go back to working full time. I’ve had a taste of enjoying my life and my family and my hours being mine. I just can’t see any world where I’d willing trade my hours of my life every day to a company.

Wow. I hope you never get divorced or the trust fund remains flush bc if you ever needed to work, earn a salary, earn your medical benefits, earn your retirement fund, you’d be fairly useless. And why are SAHMs like you doing on a Jobs and Careers thread if you don’t ever plan to have a job nor a career ever again? Just TROLLING during your ME time?

This is such an obvious troll post....or a 13 year old who has no friends, but REALLY needs the attention.

Sad either way.

Anonymous wrote:I’m just not sure after 7 years if I’d ever want to go back to working full time. I’ve had a taste of enjoying my life and my family and my hours being mine. I just can’t see any world where I’d willing trade my hours of my life every day to a company.

Really? I can't see ANY world where you would be willing to trade hours of your life every day to a company? Not a world in which you needed to earn money in order to shelter and feed yourself or your family? Not a world in which you needed a job for healthcare benefits?

Sheltered, indeed.