Is is "hard" being a sahm?

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-06-2004
Is is "hard" being a sahm?
2242
Sat, 04-24-2004 - 1:25pm
For many years now, I have heard the claim that being a sahm is the hardest job in the world. I never chimed in, because I didn't know first hand. I stayed home for 6 weeks when my twin daughters, Sophia and Stephanie (almost 4) were born. And that was hard, because I had 2 newborns. Now, almost 4 years later, I have resigned my job and am staying home again. I can god-honestly say that I don't know what's so hard about this. I personally feel like I am on easy street, but maybe that's because I haven't been at it that long. I feel like I am on vacation. It takes no longer than a couple hours a day to do the housework, and the rest of the time is free time for me and the girls. We have gone to the park, the zoo, chuck e cheeses, and I know not every day is going to be like this, but I feel like I am making up for lost time. My children seem happy and relaxed. The only hard thing about this is that they have gotten into some pretty raging fights with each other, but the fights have ended with quick intervention. I guess I am just wondering how long before this becomes "The hardest job in the world" and I start looking like a zombie, complaining that my husband doesn't help me, and so on? Or do I seriously have the choice not to turn into that? Also, do you think that at the rate I am going, I am at risk for getting bored staying home?

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iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Thu, 05-13-2004 - 8:36am
Where did I say that you could not take a shower, that would take up about 15 minutes of that 3.5 hours.

I also have three children (not quite as close in age as yours, I had 3 in six years). I took my showers when they were still in bed, very practical.

Why do you keep going back to having to do those things at 6:30, if your DH does not go to work until 10:00 then you can have time at 9:00.

No, you did not cleary state that your DH must start getting ready for work at 7:30. If he does not leave for work until 10:00 why must he start getting ready at 7:30.

I do not see it as unrealistic at all for a parent (WOH or SAH) to have me time at 6:30 in the morning when there is another parent in the home. The vast majority of my runs/walks have been in the morning.

Where I get you being a martyr is you posted that some SAHs cannot get any me time because their DHs do not get home until after bedtime. When someone posted that that was sad you countered with the fact that it is not sad because instead of having time in the evening you have time in the morning. When it was pointed out that if you DH is home in the morning then you can have time to yourself you counter with excuses why you cannot use that time. The only reason that you cannot have any time is because you do not want to take it. Both DH and I saw it as a priority and took the steps needed to accomplish it. You have the opportunity to have it but do not want to take that opportunity.

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iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Thu, 05-13-2004 - 8:36am
How long does it take you to shower? I could shower, dry my hair, put on makeup, put up a load of laundry and still have an hour to read a bit.

Jenna

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Thu, 05-13-2004 - 8:57am

LOL..You reminded me that if I wanna get a shower in the morning and the kids are up I not only have three kids in the bathroom talking to me but I also have two full grown great danes trying to get IN the shower with me.

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iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Thu, 05-13-2004 - 8:59am
Wrong. Her son was in dc while she worked. I saw an interview with her dh a couple of years ago. He talked about the lovely daycare center that their son went to and how much he loved it.

Susan

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Thu, 05-13-2004 - 9:04am
And my family child care provider could get all 5 of the kids she cared for to nap on that schedule once the babies were about 6 months old, give or take.

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iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Thu, 05-13-2004 - 9:09am

I don't know your house set up, but we have a sitting room and master bedroom right next to the master bathroom.

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iVillage Member
Registered: 10-18-2003
Thu, 05-13-2004 - 9:11am

Its hypocritical crap like this that really bugs me.


You have the opportunity, if you chose, to spend an hour or hour and a half each morning reading a book while you sip coffee. However, you choose, instead, to shower and do some laundry. So, it doesn't count as a break


I have the opportunity, if I chose, to spend an hour (2-3 days a week) reading a book while I eat my sandwich. I choose not to, instead, I go to PTA or do the grocery shopping. But for me it counts as a break? Because I WOH?


WTF?

Choose your friends by their character and your socks by their color.  Choosing your socks by their character makes no sense and choosing your friends by their color is unthinkable.

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Thu, 05-13-2004 - 9:12am
Yes.

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iVillage Member
Registered: 10-18-2003
Thu, 05-13-2004 - 9:14am

What do you envy? PTA meetings? Board of Directors' meetings? Grocery shopping? registrations for summer camp? That's what *I* do with my lunches 80% of the time.


Sure, I have lunch with allen one day a week. But I don't get 1.5 hours of relaxed time with him eveyr morning, nor more every evening.


If you're so damned jealous of WOHMs, then become one! SHEESH!

Choose your friends by their character and your socks by their color.  Choosing your socks by their character makes no sense and choosing your friends by their color is unthinkable.

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Thu, 05-13-2004 - 9:15am
ITA

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