Working Moms

[kimmac1]

i am the only female iamong my sister/sister-in-laws that work full-time outside the home. i have taught for 14 years. i have two boys, 4 & 6. i dream of being at home. then summer comes...and i am.
it makes me sad to say that i do fear the idea of being home all day with my darling sons. actually, the oldest is in all day kindergarten. the other will be there year after next. sooooo, i am ready and willing to be a SAHM in the school year 08-09!
i think i could manage getting them to school and possibly volunteering for some of the school stuff that needs to be done. elementary schools scare me a little, as i have spent so long in the junior high setting though. maybe i could actually get my laundry done if i was home, and they were at school. but i'm not making ANY promises!

 

[mericletwins]

I work also. I have 7 year old twins and a 6 year old. I teach middle school. I don't know if I was able to go back to being a SAHM I would do it. Since it isn't an option, I don't give it much thought. My DH makes good money, but no benefits. I work for our health.

I was a SAHM mom for a little over two years and there were days that I thought I would lose my mind. I did have three babies in 14 months, so maybe I was losing my mind.

I like teaching and I enjoy the interaction with the middle schoolers and the adults. I love being able to help these kids. I would love to be able to teach part-time. Five half days or 3 or 4 full days. Of course then I wouldn't have benefits.

I am happy to be done with day care bills. That was a $1200 a month savings. Of course, I have no idea where that "savings" has gone.

 

[mommy2twingles]

Another working mom here. I would love to stay home if I could but we just can't afford it. My kids only go to daycare 1 day a week and it is a home daycare so my rates are very low. Also I work for a large health insurance carrier so my job takes care of the families health insurance.

 

[Tracie Wallace]

Another working mom here. I've been working for the same company over 12 years. At 3 months, my DD went to my company's child care center. I was able to go over and see her, play with, feed her, etc. I must say, I was happy to go back to work! I missed being with adults and actually having some me time.

My DD is now 10. I drop her off at school in the morning and my DH picks her up around 5-5:30 pm. She gets out of school at 3:30 so she has a little time in After School Care. She does some of her homework and then plays with her friends.

My DD has never minded going to childcare, preschool, or primary school. She's a great kid!

 

[jupers]

I'm a working mom of 1-DD4. After a career in publishing I went back to school and I now teach 7th grade English. I know, you're thinking great hours but I actually work more now than ever before between grading essays and meeting and activities. Hoping to try for #2 after Disney, but feeling a little hesitant. Looking forward to my first nonworking summer!

 

[1rockinmamato2]

I am happy to be done with day care bills. That was a $1200 a month savings. Of course, I have no idea where that "savings" has gone.

We had just paid off our vehicles when DS went to daycare. Now, what we paid in car payments goes for child care.

When they start school, I'm going to take our daycare savings and buy new cars again.

 

[disneyjunkie]

I'm also a working mom. Since I'm also a single mom, not working was never an option.

When my son younger and we lived in NC, I was lucky to teach in the same daycare centers and schools he attended. I was able to be room mom a few years, I chaperoned trips, helped with scouts...

As far as having a spotless house If I had to decide between scrubbing the tub and reading Is Your Mama A Llama or Goodnight Moon for the 1003rd time, I picked the book each time.

 

[Georgia]

I'm a working mom of three kids-10 month old twin boys and a DD4. I must confess a bad mom secret...I like working. I can barely remember a time with I didn't work. I started working at a neighborhood grocery when I was 16 and I haven't been without a job since.

There are things I hate about daycare. The cost is unbelievable! But they do have the things that are most precious to me. Occassionally, my DD4 picks up a habit that drives me nuts. For example, she uses the word "booty." Personally, I hate this word. I told her I'd rather she just say "butt" as in "sit on your butt." She got completely wide-eyed and said "oh, no Miss Hope says we can't say that."

There are, however, many more positive things about an organized setting than negative. My DD4 is spelling words and writing her name. She sings songs and is has girlfriends that she loves.

I would love to work part-time but I teach so like others in this post, I would not have benefits. Now, I will add just one last thing...I'm a teacher so I have the luxury of saying I like working. While it is WITHOUT pay, I do have more time off than some other jobs. Additionally, if it snows, I never have to scramble around trying to find an emergency sitter. If I had to do daycare 50 weeks out of the year instead of 42 or 43...I might feel differently.

 

[jcc0621]

As many have already said I would love to be able to stay home, but financially it is just not possible. DS 3 1/2 is curretnly in daycare/preschool but we are in the process of looking for a new place. I have a problem with the place in that they INSIST that DS MUST take a 2 hour nap every day, however he is not much of a napper (never has been). He is more the go to bed by 7:00 - 7:30 every night type. (sorry, random vent)

DH is a school teacher so we are able to cut down to 2 days per week in the summer. DH uses the 2 days to work on projects around the house - you know the honey do lists we al leave for our hubby's

My job is actually talking about going to 4 10 hour days, which would be nice. Would have little mom & ds time. Here's hoping.

 

[RmrJmrGrl]

Another working mom here! I work full-time as a web developer. My husband is self-employed so I also work for the benefits. I work five days a week 8-5 and some nights/weekends as needed. I'm lucky that I can work from home as needed. That is good on days when he is sick or daycare is closed. My salary is the main money for our family. DH biz is hot/cold so I keep the roof over our head! I enjoy working. I just wish I could do it part time. Or really work when needed..flexible schedule.

My son is in a great daycare. It is TERRIBLY expensive but worth it. Glad to see so many of us WOHM on the board!!!

A group of my friends started a web site with me for working moms. Email me at rmrjmrgrl@realworkingmom.com for more info! I don't have enough posts to include the site URL.

Beth Ann

 

[nettii]

I was a sahm for 9 years now I work 3 days a week, while the kids 12 and 5 are at school. Im done working when they get home, but I can never get anything done! How do you guys do it? On Tues and Thurs Im at home with my youngest DS (hes in every other day kind.) and we spend the days at play dates or the park, then on the weekends its running with family stuff and sports. I just cant get it togther!

 

[RmrJmrGrl]

I don't get everything done!! My house is never clean. I always choose the park or doing something with DS before cleaning!!! But, I've always been that way.

I've thought about #2 but it scares me!! DH says we barely manage the one we already have! LOL

 

[kimmac1]

is it just me or is there some wierd connection between disney and teachers? seems like a lot of us on this thread are in the trenches!

 

[Luv2trav]

I am a fulltime working mom....DS's 5 and 3 are home all day with me. I work for FedEx 4pm-1am and DH works 7-4pm. It works for us because we both live very close to work and he comes home for lunch and I come home for dinner. We both play the single parent role during the week and have our weekends together. The sacrafic is worth it... Heck we hardly ever argue... Although somedays I wonder how I function on just 6 hours a sleep at night. Once my oldest is in 1st grade I am going to 1st shift.

I don't regret working because I feel I have the best of both worlds being home all day and working at night..... It's exhausting but what parent isn't?

Oh and DH does laundry, cooks for himself and the kids and cleans.... I love having a wife...

 

[mom*to*2*princesses]

I work 4 days x week and have two kids under 6. I love working outside the home (although I telecommute two days per week so I'm technically home those days). I took 6 months off after each was born and then returned to work. With our current schedule my kids are either at school or with their grandparents when they aren't with DH or I.

If I really wanted to stay home I could, but being a SAHM is not for me. I like making a contribution to the community in my professional capacity. I work for a nonprofit and see my job as a mission and a cause that benefits the greater community, not just as a way of making money. It's also important to me to keep that adult part of my identity thriving. I'm not saying anything negative about SAHMs at all...it's just not for me, just like WOH is not for everyone either. I have a fantastic DH and family support near by, which makes a world of difference.

 

[rmjkharrisfam]

I also work full time. We have 2 kids, DS4 & DD2. They spend 4 days a week at a WONDERFUL daycare center and 1 day a week at Grandma's house.

I love the comments about never having a clean house I have a sign at my desk that says "Cleaning your house before the kids are grown is like shoveling the driveway before it stops snowing" So true!! I solved that problem last year buy manipulating our budget enough to have a cleaning service twice a month. Those 2 days are my favorite days of the month!

 

[Luv2trav]

"Cleaning your house before the kids are grown is like shoveling the driveway before it stops snowing" :

Oh I love this saying... Where can I buy a sign...

 

[lg3]

I'm a working mom of three kids-10 month old twin boys and a DD4. I must confess a bad mom secret...I like working. I can barely remember a time with I didn't work. I started working at a neighborhood grocery when I was 16 and I haven't been without a job since.

There are things I hate about daycare. The cost is unbelievable! But they do have the things that are most precious to me. Occassionally, my DD4 picks up a habit that drives me nuts. For example, she uses the word "booty." Personally, I hate this word. I told her I'd rather she just say "butt" as in "sit on your butt." She got completely wide-eyed and said "oh, no Miss Hope says we can't say that."
There are, however, many more positive things about an organized setting than negative. My DD4 is spelling words and writing her name. She sings songs and is has girlfriends that she loves.

I would love to work part-time but I teach so like others in this post, I would not have benefits. Now, I will add just one last thing...I'm a teacher so I have the luxury of saying I like working. While it is WITHOUT pay, I do have more time off than some other jobs. Additionally, if it snows, I never have to scramble around trying to find an emergency sitter. If I had to do daycare 50 weeks out of the year instead of 42 or 43...I might feel differently.

I thought this was so interesting - DH & I both completely ahore the word "butt" and don't allow our dd4 to say it. We call it "booty" for her. We consider "butt" extremely derogatory compared to "booty" for a pre-schooler. Why would you let a little girl/boy say "butt" over "booty"? I honestly don't get this, and am asking sincerely

 

[tammy1210]

Another full-time working Mom. I have a ds who's 6 and a dd who's 3. I've been extremely fortunate to have a wonderful babysitter that the kids consider a third grandma - she also takes dd to preschool 3 mornings a week and to dance once a week. If I had my rathers, I'd still work outside of the home, but I'd love to work pt - maybe 3 days a week - I have a very flexible schedule, but I love to be doing more with the kids at their schools - and I hate that ds goes to afterschool care - it's such a long day for him.

Unfortunately, dh and I make the same salary - and have since we met - no way can we cut our income in half, and there's no part-timers in my line of work - so, we manage!

 

[DawnM]

I worked up until 2 years ago.

We adopted a 2.5 year old last year and weren't sure how that would all work out but he is doing great and will have most of his surgeries complete by the end of the summer.....

So.....I am actively job hunting right now. I have an interview on Thursday (school counseling) and I am hoping to get one with the charter school where I would like my kids to go. I have applied and they are supposed to be calling people in soon for interviews.

I worked for 16 years and then we moved from CA to NC.

I miss working!

Dawn