Stay At Home Mom's

[Tinijocaro]

What do stay at home Mom's do all day if their kids are in school? I am serious, I'm not trying to be sarcastic. If the laundry and cleaning are done how else do you spend your time? Just wondering.

SAHM mom's are often the ones who get things done at the schools. Most of the movers and shakers of the pta and other school groups are SAHM's. I often wonder howv some school activities would get done if it weren't for the SAHM's. Yes, I realize that many working mom's also are involved, not trying to dis anyone.

 

[disykat]

I'm currently not employed and am SAHM. I spent many years as a SAHM. (My favorite is working 1/2 time, home 1/2 time.)

I never have difficulty filling my days. Volunteer work at school and church, exercising, cleaning, errands, appointments, etc. The difference is that I don't have all that stuff to do AFTER my workday is over. I get to just deal with dinner then hang out with my family.

I never get bored during the day. I get to relax when I want to, but if it seems too relaxed I sign on for some more responsibilities in the groups I'm involved in or start a big project at home. I do find myself bored during the evenings sometimes - especially if I spent the day at home. I've got my stuff done, but the kids have homework, dh wants to relax, etc.

The next question will be whether your family resents you, so I'll answer now. My kids have considerably less chores when I'm not working and the same with dh. I'm better at keeping the food thing working when I'm not working as well. They love it when I'm home.

 

[BernardandMissBianca]

You know, I've always wondered this... But I never wanted to insult anyone by asking. As you can see from a few of the replies, people are easily insulted...

I don't think I could be a stay at home person. I really don't. As a teacher I don't work the summers. I can't stand it. Don't get me wrong, the first week in lovely. Then I'm antsy and bored! So I find a summer job or take classes at the university over the summer.

Edit: This is not to say I think staying at home is easy, not work, or wasteful. Because I think none of those things. It's just not for me.

My friend was like that. She took a summer off thinking it would be great to be with the girls, go to the library, beach, etc. She was not a happy camper by week 2. Her kids were miserable, she was miserable.
After that she got a job and the kids went to camp. It was a win win for all of them.

 

[samshane]

Many of the moms I know who are SAHM volunteer heavily in the school - I did up until my son went to first grade and became a full-day student (kindy was only half-day). One month before he started, I got a part-time job with hours exactly the same as the kids school hours. *Perfect* I couldn't stay home anymore for my sanity... I had been doing it 9yrs and for me, needed something else! But after school we are on the run to activities and all that fun stuff.

 

[DisneyMomx7]

I'm a SAHM and I have a cleaning person that comes once a week!

Seriously I still clean a lot, cook dinners from scratch during the week and keep the house organized. I also do a ton of things for the kids school. I've been president of the PTA and now I'm vice president. I'm the marketing coordinator for our school through our diocese. I run the kids to all their activities, and of course I DIS! I also babysit my 6 month old granddaughter one day a week.

DH is self employed (CPA) and he works long hours. My being a SAHM is the best of both worlds for both of us.

That is one of the reasons why we take a really long vacation in the summer -2 weeks at Disney and then a week in Hilton Head. It gives us time together to all reconnect.

I do get aggravated at people who think SAHMs are lazy!

It's funny when the kids were little I swore when they went to school I would take a nap every day. I think the whole time they've been in school full time (6 years) I've had about 3 naps!

 

[disykat]

I can't stand it. Don't get me wrong, the first week in lovely. Then I'm antsy and bored! So I find a summer job or take classes at the university over the summer.
.

This is exactly what SAHMs do. If they get bored, they get involved in more stuff. It's easy to do. It WOULD be extremely boring to just stay home and do nothing all day. I don't know anyone that does that. They find ways to be productive.

 

[BernardandMissBianca]

SAHM mom's are often the ones who get things done at the schools. Most of the movers and shakers of the pta and other school groups are SAHM's. I often wonder howv some school activities would get done if it weren't for the SAHM's. Yes, I realize that many working mom's also are involved, not trying to dis anyone.

that's me. Since I'm home I do the day time activities and a lot of the set up for events and the working moms do the night time events.

The next question will be whether your family resents you, so I'll answer now. My kids have considerably less chores when I'm not working and the same with dh. I'm better at keeping the food thing working when I'm not working as well. They love it when I'm home.

My kids love it although they were upset when they found out I don't sit around all day wait for them by the door. LOL
Dh and I had decided before we even got married that I would work until we had kids and then he would pick up the slack money wise so I could stay home.

 

[BellePrincessBelle]

When I was a stay at home mom I would get the kids off to school, get the house picked up and do on 'major" chore each day, laundry, dusting mini-blinds, you know all the stuff that doesn't get done now that I work. When I was done with this I would do some volunteer work at school, church and around our community, you know, the stuff they call you for but can't help because you have a "job". Then once the kids got home it was homework, running them places, etc.

In reality I sat on the couch and ate bon-bons

Hey that's what I do all day!!! Nevermind that every boy scout/girl scout PTA thing needs you because after all "you're home all day".

 

[LuvOrlando]

It's funny when the kids were little I swore when they went to school I would take a nap every day. I think the whole time they've been in school full time (6 years) I've had about 3 naps!

ME too. The reason why is because now that the kids are out all day you don't need the nap anymore.

 

[nmmom95]

When I worked, DH and I would split the household chores and do everything on the weekends. When one person is at home, everything falls to them. I don't mind, because I'm happy to be home with my boys.

 

[AustinTink]

Dh and I had decided before we even got married that I would work until we had kids and then he would pick up the slack money wise so I could stay home.

Us, too. I think it was our third date when he asked me if I'd consider being a stay home mom. It was very important to him to have a mom at home for our kid. His mom worked very long hours and was never around for him. Latch key kid, had to fend for himself... all of that.

Not saying it's that way for all working moms, just his.

 

[Nik's Mom]

I'm not a SAHM, but I'd think if I were I'd spend a huge amount of my time cleaning. My house would stay immaculate and that would take a lot of time. Also, I'd probably read, exercise, scrapbook, play on the computer, walk the dogs, do yardwork, etc.

I've been a SAHM for almost 2 years and I clean some part of the house every day.

I was a working mom until dh's job relocated us to Kansas. When I did work, dh and I split up house work. Now, I take care of everything from cooking, cleaning, paying bills and all errands. We have 2 autistic kids and we don't know anyone here. So when we moved, we agreed that I wouldn't work for a while. It's hard to find a good child care person who can handle 2 autistic kids. So, here I am a SAHM for going on 2 years. The first year was horrible. I think I went through a little bit of a depression. This year is so much better because I have a routine down. I have my cleaning schedule, I started working out, I am taking an on-line class. I may even go back to school full time and get my masters. Oh, and I am all caught up on my Dis board reading...

 

[BernardandMissBianca]

Us, too. I think it was our third date when he asked me if I'd consider being a stay home mom. It was very important to him to have a mom at home for our kid. His mom worked very long hours and was never around for him. Latch key kid, had to fend for himself... all of that.

Not saying it's that way for all working moms, just his.

Yep, DH's mom was a widow from the time he was a baby so she had to work. He stayed with neighbors and his grandparents etc. It was tough on him.
My mom worked in the school system so she only worked while we were at school.
Now my mom works at a before and after school program so she's home in the middle of the day. Sometimes we run errands together and sometimes she watches DD so I can do PTO meetings and stuff. she lives next door so we see each other just about every day.

 

[BernardandMissBianca]

The funniest thing about being a SAHM was the first day DS8 went to Pre-school. DH was working from home but the casino was a customer so he had to go in. We dropped off the kids, I dropped him off at work and I had breakfast at the casino. It was the first time in 9 years I had breakfast alone. It was pure heaven! My food was warm and someone waited on me instead of me waiting on everyone else!
Of course I was pregnant with DD so it didn't last long. LOL

 

[mumom95]

What do stay at home Mom's do all day if their kids are in school? I am serious, I'm not trying to be sarcastic. If the laundry and cleaning are done how else do you spend your time? Just wondering.

I go to the gym, get all the house work, shopping etc done so that the weekends can be strictly family time, and most SAHMs I know volunteer a lot. I've been everything from PTC yearbook person to PTC president and many things in between. And staying at home also allows me to sign my kids up for any after school activities they want, because there isn't an issue on being able to pick them up and take them where they need to go.

But I also do stuff like have lunch with friends, go see a movie with friends, etc. And I will spend time on facebook and the DISboards.

I'm not a true SAHM anymore, I substitute teach, but only about 2 days a week on average.

It can get boring at times, but when I taught high school full time before my kids were born, that could get boring too.

Someday if the perfect job opens up, I'll probably jump on it. I don't see myself never working full time again, I do enjoy working. But right now I like the extra time in life that being a SAHM gives my family.

 

[LunchladyDoris]

The usual. Sacrifice a chicken under the guise of tupperware parties, walk in a dirty robe, eating bon bons, sipping gin and reading stained romance novels.


JK, that is actually my go to answer when my sister (who works away from home)sarcastically asks me that.

I actually clean,cook, the laundry, PTA meetings, I also try to make sure that the house stays at least a little clean when my little monsters come home.

 

[dislal]

I watch soaps and eat bon bons all day and when my kids get home I make them do all the housework I should have done.

I think I just found my soulmate!! This is what I tell DH I do all day!!

I have worked some part time jobs over the years, but I think when I just stay home I work a lot harder at home. When I work we eat out a lot more than when I am staying home. I save so much more money, by taking the time to cut and organize my coupons, before I go shopping. I always tell DH that cutting, organizing coupons, shopping then bringing it all home and putting it away is about a day and a half out of my week right there. We have 6 acres and I try to keep it cut so my DH doesn't have to. These past few weeks I have been shoveling snow a little every day. There is just a never ending list of things that I do, and most days I could use a few more hours in my day. DH won't take the kids to any after school sport or activities either, he says if I sign them up I have to take them. So there goes most of my evenings.

 

[trip]

During one stint as a SAHM - I volunteered 2 days a week at school, 1 day on base, and was a Brownie troop leader that held weekly meetings and monthly field trip. During that time I had trouble saying "no" to requests, because after all I wasn't working. My schedule became extremely full. My DH remarked that I'd probably have more free time if I went back to work! I finally learned how to say no and scaled back on my volunteering.

 

[mumom95]

Just wanted to say that this thread has stayed unusually civil compared to most threads on the DIS of this nature.

It's kind of nice

 

[Ember]

I do get aggravated at people who think SAHMs are lazy!

Well, if it helps, everyone thinks we teachers are lazy, too. I mean, we only work for 6 hours a day, right? Not to mention all those holidays. I'm telling you, we have it easy what with all the work we don't do!

I know our school runs because of parents who volunteer their time.