SAH parenting- "job" or not?

iVillage Member
Registered: 06-04-2004
SAH parenting- "job" or not?
978
Thu, 12-15-2005 - 9:29am

SAH parenting- "job" or not?



  • Yes- it's a job (I'm a SAHM/D)
  • No- it's not a job (I'm a SAHM/D)
  • Yes- it's a job (I'm a WOHM/D)
  • No- it's not a job (I'm a WOHM/D)
  • Obligatory 'Other'


You will be able to change your vote.


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iVillage Member
Registered: 03-18-2004
Sat, 12-17-2005 - 10:53am

Overall, I agree.

Mondo

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-27-2003
Sat, 12-17-2005 - 11:14am
I think it depends on the parent. For *me* woh came much more naturally and sah has had a longer learning curve and has been "harder". BOth my woh and sah situations were/are fairly cushy. It is more of a personality thing.
iVillage Member
Registered: 11-25-2004
Sat, 12-17-2005 - 11:37am
Comparing the same person as a working mom and a stay at home mom, yes. Having a 40 hour a week job and things like day care drop off/pick up does complicate things a bit over not having those things.
iVillage Member
Registered: 11-25-2004
Sat, 12-17-2005 - 11:39am
I have cared for elderly parents while working. Why do you think it would have been harder had I been a stay at home mom at the time?
Avatar for ahlmommy
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Sat, 12-17-2005 - 11:41am

<<>>

Where shall I start?

<<>>

This might be true for you but not everyone.

<<>>

Again...maybe for you.

<<>>

Think SAHM don't have to get up and shower, get dressed and go out? I am wondering why you would think that?

<<>>

Really...you were cool with plopping your children and an infant in fron tof the television all day while you sat on the couch watching Dora all day? Sorry I don't do that...How long did your newborn and your 15 month old sit and watch tv?

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Well...I think you might be walking a line here. Many moms on this board would disagree with you here, but saying that SAH is a *real* job. I personally don't consider being a SAHM a job, but I do consider it hard work.

<<>>

Well let me tell you that there are many different strokes for different folks here. Not many know this on this board but at one time I was a WOHM. I had to work because I was a single parent. For me personally...WOH was way easier for me. When I WOH I could grocery shop on my lunch hour, and when I got off and had the hour before the DC closed I could run any errands that needed to be done. My house also stayed a lot cleaner. The only problem I had when I WOH was my schedule. I had to modify my schedule around my DD schedule for school. When I got married my schedule was a little more flexible because my DH was working weekends only. So in my particular case WOH was easier for me.

The only time I can think that I left my pj's on was when my children have been sick. Other than that...I get up at 5:30 every morning, shower, drive my oldest to the bus stop, come home, feed my other two breakfast, get them both dressed, clean up the kitchen, drive DS to school, and on T-Wed-Th I take DD#2 to her preschool, and come home and clean house, run errands, etc. I could go on but I won't bore you with my daily life. My days usually start at 5:30 and ends just after 8pm. So maybe you could wrap your brain around that.

iVillage Member
Registered: 11-25-2004
Sat, 12-17-2005 - 11:42am
Then you don't think if any day care my children have attended. The providers have always been actively involved with the children. While they are allowed to play on their own, they are also involved in structured activities. Plus, day care providers take care of 3 or 4 times the children I would if I stayed home. That would make the job 3 or 4 times harder, don't you think?
iVillage Member
Registered: 08-27-2005
Sat, 12-17-2005 - 1:53pm

I think this is a YMMV issue.

iVillage Member
Registered: 09-08-2003
Sat, 12-17-2005 - 2:02pm

"The only time I can think that I left my pj's on was when my children have been sick. Other than that...I get up at 5:30 every morning, shower, drive my oldest to the bus stop, come home, feed my other two breakfast, get them both dressed, clean up the kitchen, drive DS to school, and on T-Wed-Th I take DD#2 to her preschool, and come home and clean house, run errands, etc. I could go on but I won't bore you with my daily life. My days usually start at 5:30 and ends just after 8pm. So maybe you could wrap your brain around that."


iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Sat, 12-17-2005 - 2:31pm

Ok, I already see a difference between WOH for you and WOH for me. There was no way on this earth that I would have my children in dc while I ran errands or shopped. Don't get me wrong, I know lots of people who do and I don't have a problem with people who do it, but I could not do it. When I wasn't at work, my kids were not at dc, period. So I WOH all day with no lunch (I flex my schedule around my kids school schedule), then driv eto the bus stop. So no errand time or cleaning time for me sans kids.

I don't think you can compare one WOH situation with another or with a SAH situation. You r days starts at 5:30, so does mine. I WOH while the kids are in school, then I have aftreschool activties that they go to, plus I am active in the PTA, I also WAH PT so that I can be home in the afternoons. I also WOH one night a week til 10. I would say that my day doesn't end until 11pm. Does that make it harder for me than you? Probably not. I have two children, but one is 16 and is self sufficient, has a car, so she gets herself where she needs to go. My younger one is 8, so I don't have any babies or small children. I get to read, I get to work out, I go shopping by myself when my older one is at home to look after the younger one.

You just can't compare and make definitive statements other than for your own situation.

Susan

iVillage Member
Registered: 02-11-2005
Sat, 12-17-2005 - 5:09pm
ita..i loved to use my slingy/velcro for strolls in the park but can't recall ever using it when domestic duties called......my then infants were just as content idle or looking up at me from their exersaucers than they were attached to me.

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