OT: I do NOT want to go back to work!

[homemaker]

DH and I are expecting our 5th addition sometime in the next month. I am 34 weeks and most of our babies have come early. I work pt retail and really did enjoy the break from the children. My doctor pulled from work back in april and I really don't miss it. I realize how much I miss being home with them even if they drive my crazy. We both feel the extra money is nice and helps with some expenses. The way I see it is: we could eat cheaper meals, cut out snacks & eating out and I don't go back to work, I could just suffer and go back but limit my availability or I find a work from home kinda job. What do you all think? Are there any real work from home jobs out there? What would you do? Thanks for any help you all have to offer.

 

[stsomewhere]

I had the same discussion. I decide to stay home.
After cost of daycare, oand not a lot of family time, I thought it was better for me to stay at home.
You have to do what is best for you and your family.

 

[Kenenitz]

We decided it was better for me to stay home. It meant cutting a lot of things out.. I have to be more mindful of things like groceries. I stopping buying packs of cookies and store desserts and now I make them. It's cheaper and the kids love making cookies with mom. I started shopping bulk more. I have a HUGE storage rack in my garage and when heinz ketchup is buy one get one, I get three. that kind of stuff.

It meant giving up the SUV and going to a minivan, but since January, we've saved over $1800 in gas. HUGE difference. I have a subscription to all my fave stores websites and when they are having a sale I always check it out. Simple things.. It was worth it. It means less meals out and less steak and such, but the kids don't mind.

I have noticed that I am less stressed out.. getting home at 6 after picking everyone up, and then trying to make dinner would get me all stressed. Kids would want to hang out in the kitchen and I was stepping on them or afraid they were going to get burned. I'd end up yelling. Till I was done dinner and homework and cleaning up from dinner and baths and everything else it was bedtime. This meant a lot of nights I was looking to order takeout or go out for dinner, or getting groceries on the fly because i didn't defrost anything.

Now I can start dinner earlier.. we do homework when the kids get home. I am in a better mood. We have no after school care to worry about.. It was the best decision we ever made.. besides, if I ever needed to go back, we could worry about that then

 

[Kim1964]

If I am understanding your post, you stopped working in April. So, if you've been living on just one income for that amount of time, how is it going? If you're able to live on one income and are willing to cut back on things to stay home, then it sounds like that is what you really want to do. Good luck.

 

[GOOFY4DONALD]

If I am understanding your post, you stopped working in April. So, if you've been living on just one income for that amount of time, how is it going? If you're able to live on one income and are willing to cut back on things to stay home, then it sounds like that is what you really want to do. Good luck.

This is a great point. after my older 2 started school full time I was going to go back to work. After factoring in child care for my son, after school care for my older 2, gas, clothes, lunches, dinners (because I was too tired to cook at least once a week) we figured it would cost me .90 an hour to work. Although I do not know your children's ages, I am guessing that they will need at least a little bit of child care and a baby will need full time care while you are at work. Although I don't know your entire situation, I would guess that with everything to consider working part time in retail probably wouldn't bring home much money, if any at all.

 

[homemaker]

I work pt in retail around my DH hours. We have never used childcare or afterschool care. I have found that me working nights & weekends while hubby works days doesn't allow for any family time. My poor children do not do any school activities which really upsets me. The other side of that is without me working, we don't have the extra money for all of them to sign up for activities.

I haven't found that we really miss the extra money yet. We had our tax stimulus and income tax return that held us for a while. I also have maternity/disability coming in. It's not as much as my regular checks, but it helps.

I think with the economy I am just nervous to give up a job.

 

[Stephres]

Good luck! It is a hard decision, but you will make the best one for your family. When my daughter was 18 months old I worked at the local YMCA for a few hours a week while my daughter was in the kid care. It worked out great for us: she loved it and I got 1/2 off our family membership in addition to the little amount I made. I worked in the mornings so we still had nights and weekends for family time.

There are options out there and I stumbled on a great one for us. Hope you can do the same.

 

[Microcell]

I want to give you hope.. I have a real work from home job, not selling or cold calling. It is with a local company putting people in conference calls! I work around 30 hours a week now and love working from home!

Look at Workplacelikehome.com and I am sure others will have suggestions.

I did find my job through the site, it was lucky, someone who actually lives in the same town I do posted about it! At training I met other moms who did things from driving a bus to selling Pampered Chef to stay at home.

Have fun with all your kids, and you won't regret staying home!