Any stay-at-home moms?

iVillage Member
Registered: 02-14-2007
Any stay-at-home moms?
15
Fri, 06-08-2007 - 1:08pm
I'm just wondering if there any stay-at-home moms of teens on this board. I've been a stay-at-home mom for a long time, but recently got into teaching. Despite that, I'm still thinking I'd like to continue to be at home, especially now that my kids are teens and able to get into so much more trouble when they aren't superivsed! (LOL) I keep thinking that everybody else has a career. I used to have one, but gradually gave it up because of our kids and several moves we made through my husband's job. But I was grocery shopping today, and noticing that I wasn't the only woman my age who was in the store rather than working, so that made me wonder. In a way, with my kids being 15 and 13, I think I should just finish what I started and wait until they're closer to graduating HS. Any other stay-at-home moms out there? (I looked at the SAHM board, but they seem to have younger kids.)

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Avatar for suzyk2118
iVillage Member
Registered: 07-30-1997
Fri, 06-08-2007 - 1:48pm

Sorry; I work FT (7:30-4:30; home around 5pm).

Sue

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-06-2006
Fri, 06-08-2007 - 1:50pm

I'm a SAHM! Have been for 8 years now; my DD was 7 and my DS 4 (now 15 and 13) when I began my SAHM career when we moved from Phoenix to San Diego.

In recent months, I have seriously considered getting a job of some sort, but the truth is, I really like being available for my family and making a "home" for them. Yes, it is pure drudgery at times (the laundry that never goes away) but it's the 'mommy glue' that holds a family together and that is important to me. I worked when they were little and it seemed I was always throwing them into the car and driving them somewhere so that someone else could take care of them. Now that they are older, more self-sufficient and require far less "care", I do admit to feeling bored and restless on occassion.

BUT ... we are in the process of moving (out of state) and I want to be available to them there to help them with the transition so I will probably remain a SAHM for a while longer.

DH will be working from home once we move, though, so unless he starts driving me batty, being around all day, lol, and I need a job for some peace and quiet, that is.

Julie

 

 

 

iVillage Member
Registered: 02-14-2000
Fri, 06-08-2007 - 2:24pm
I'm not a SAHM now but I was for years.
Pam
Avatar for kel7col4
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Fri, 06-08-2007 - 2:31pm
I have been a sahm since I was pregnant with ds and dd was 3 years old = 12 years. Dh is in the military and we lived in Germany for 7 years. There are times that I wonder what am I thinking - but I really like being home and knowing what's going on. I really don't know how wohm mom's do it - they are my heroes!! Over the last few months my kids had so many drs appts and I can't imagine any work environment not having an issue with it.



Avatar for jbgattuso
iVillage Member
Registered: 04-29-2003
Fri, 06-08-2007 - 2:41pm

I'm a SAHM and have been since number one was born 16 yrs ago. I do sell plantation shutters and run my own buisness out of my home, but really cut down during the summer so I am around while the kids are home. Sometimes I feel like I'm jealous that I have NO life LOL, but I guess it will be this way for a LONG time, as I have 16 ds 14 ds and 6 dd ages :) You're not alone.

Julie

iVillage Member
Registered: 08-17-2005
Fri, 06-08-2007 - 3:32pm
I do think you will find that most SAHM's have younger children - and that by the teen years many have either divorced, and have to go back to work, or family finances are such (college, retirement, etc.) that the second income is required.

Avatar for imomtojd
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Fri, 06-08-2007 - 3:51pm

I'm kind of a sahm. I work part-time during the school year in a preschool, and am always at home/available after school hours. This next year I'm just going to substitute because my younger child is going year-round and that messes up my schedule. I am also very active on several of the high school boards and plan to volunteer at my elementary school often. In my area there are almost as many sahm's (even with high schoolers) as not.

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-28-2003
Fri, 06-08-2007 - 11:30pm
I am a sahm...I do have a 2 1/2 year old, and plan to stay a sahm for at least 2-3 more years. I have been a wahm for a couple of years, and I am trying to start an online business up right now. I like to feel like I'm contributing, and if I can do that from home, I'm all for it. I love being a sahm because I am available for anything that comes up!
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-27-2005
Sat, 06-09-2007 - 7:57am

I'm a stay at home mom to my teen. I do home daycare for two families (one full time and one just afterschool care) so that allows me to do all the SAHM stuff and still bring in a little income.

My husband and I feel that it's more important now, than in the younger years, that at least one of us is here for our son when he gets home at the end of the day. In the younger years, kids are very much influeneced by mom and dad and not so much by their peers. Peers do come into play but not in the same way they do when they reach the teen years. What mom and dad think is still very much in the forfront of their minds.

During the teen years they are trying to figure out who they are, what they want to do with their lives and the type of person they want to be. They are seeking autonomy and in doing so, they experiment, take risks, and try on different hats. They are infludenced by friends and peer groups and parents, in many cases, take a back seat. That isn't to say that parent don't have an influence, but that we are now in sharp competition with the rest of our teen's world.

We want to be available to him afterschool, to spend time preparing and sharing evening meals together, to be the ones who helps organize transportation for outings with friends, to actually see what he's spending his time doing afterschool, to be extremly involved in the school itself, etc. If I had a job outside my home, I would not have the flexiblity of schedule that would allow for me to be so involved and available. Right now all I have to worry about is working around nap time for the two year old and being ontime to pick up my afterschool care kid. As much as my husband loves our son, he he misses alot because he's at work. We fill him in of course, but I know that my dh would have loved to have been there himself.

The way I see it. I have just four more short years with my son, before he heads off to college. I want to spend those years very much IN his life. Not sitting behind a desk in an office, stressed out from trying to balance work, home, family and being involved with my son, with the school and with his activities. Just being involved can be a full time job, I can't imagine working outside the home 40+ hours and trying to fit everything else in. I do commend any working mom out there that can do this. I know I wouldn't be able to without feeling the strain of it. I work 40+ hours doing child care, and even with the flexiblity to take the little one with me, I find I'm constantly on the go with something.

stacy

Avatar for beckymk
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-23-1998
Sat, 06-09-2007 - 8:26am

I'm a stay at home mom but I do have younger kiddos.

Becky - Mom to Carolyn (17), Aaron (15), Kyle (11) & Luke (8)
Send a free greeting card on me!!

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