BEING A STAY AT HOME MOM
By Kristi Long
October 30, 2013
According to the NY TIMES, the Census Bureau reports that over the last 40 years, 70% of married women over the age of 25, with children, work outside of the home. Leaving the other 30% as stay at home moms. The census also states that stay at home mothers tend to be younger and less educated with 18% of them lacking a high school degree.
There are many reasons why women choose to be stay at home moms. The reason may stem from personal, moral or religious beliefs. It may also be because the job market is bad or because daycare is too expensive. Another reason could be that the mother doesn’t possess any working skills and has not furthered her education. And lastly it may be because she simply chooses to be the one who raises her own child full time instead of paying someone else to do it for her.
Despite the reason a mother may have, being a stay at home mom can be challenging and difficult at times, but it can also be beneficial to the mother and child and very rewarding for both as well.
Today I would like to start off by addressing some of the reasons a mother would chose to be a stay at home mom. One reason might be because of her personal beliefs, morals or religion. In this case, oftentimes she and/or the father has grown up with a stay at home mom and believes that it is best for the child to follow that tradition. She feels her place is in the home and so the couple then agrees that they would like their children to be raised this way as well.
The Essay on Child Mother Interactions Left Alone
Child- Mother Interactions The time is 2: 00 p. m. The baby and the mom are sitting down on the bed, while the mom is feeding the baby a piece of a banana. The baby begins to play with the banana, instead of eating it. The mom then starts to sing with him, and he kind of sings along in his own way, she sits down, and he does too. This shows how he follows what she does. When she sings and claps ...
Secondly, the job market may be bad at the time and a mom may find it difficult to get a job she would like. She may also find that she is unsure of what type of job she wants or that she lacks the skills or degree needed for pursuing a job. She may not have even been afforded the opportunity to attend college or obtain any job skills, thus leaving her jobless and finding herself a stay at home mom.
Daycare affordability is another reason moms stay out of the workforce. Maybe a mom has had a job in the past or has checked local daycare prices and knows how expensive it is. Between paying for gas, and daycare expenses, her take home pay isn’t worth the time away from the home, its responsibilities and the child.
And lastly, it might just be her personal choice to be a stay at home mom. A woman may simply feel that it is her job to raise her own kids and prefers to not pay someone else to do it for her. She may enjoy being a full time mom. She may not ever want to miss any milestone or special moment her child has. She might just want to be the one who teaches her child all those basic things they learn at such a young age.
Next I’d like to address the challenges and difficulties of being a stay at home mom. Some of the common ones include being isolated or lonely all day, lack of adult conversation, feeling guilty for not contributing to household income, and being financially dependent on the husband. Other negative aspects of being a stay at home mom are, that you are often taken for granted, people just assume that because you are home that you can take care of this or that and they don’t seem to appreciate anything that you do. You also don’t get any time off, as being a stay at home mom often means a 24/7 job with no vacation and no sick leave. All of these aspects can be very stressful and exhausting. Lastly, clingy children can be the product of a home where mommy is there all the time. The children may not be independent and it can make it difficult to leave them with others or to attend social functions.
Now to balance the challenges and difficulties I’d like to share some of the many benefits and rewards of being a stay at home mom. First and foremost you are solely responsible for the educational, social, emotional and physical well-being of your child. You get to teach them all of the basic skills that they will need throughout their whole life. You are in charge of teaching them their first social skills as well as tending to their emotional well-being. You get to choose what they eat every day, and you also have more control over their environment in order to keep them as healthy and safe as possible. Being able to be with your children as they wake each morning and have breakfast with them is a great way to start their day off in a good mood. Once they start school you will also be afforded the availability to attend school activities, programs and meetings and to volunteer in the classroom. Staying home with your child also gives you the time to do household chores so that you can have the evenings free for family dinner and homework and the weekends free for family time. It also provides the kids with a better sense of security to know that mom is always there for them.
The Essay on Should Stay At Home Moms Get A Salary From The Government?
... on all the time and effort that they put into their day being a stay at home mom. Mothers of young children face difficult choices ... time mothers spend performing 10 typical job functions would equate to an annual salary of $115,432 for a stay at home mom. Working moms at home ... they don’t have a so called real job, but being a stay at home mom is hard. Stay at home moms deserve to be treated the same ...
Being a stay at home mom also comes with instant gratification. Things like a clean house, finished laundry, errands run, dinner on the table each night for the family, children doing well in school and also being able to be present for and enjoy each milestone. Staying home also affords one time for hobbies such as crafting, sewing, scrapping, exercising, baking, organizing and de-cluttering.
Lastly I would like to share with you some survival tips for being a stay at home mom. First, don’t sweat the small stuff, and don’t ever feel guilty that something on your list wasn’t accomplished that day. If you don’t have time for this or that, there is always tomorrow. Second, Be flexible and learn to go with the flow. Having a schedule and being organized is great and helps make your day go smoothly. Make a ‘to do’ list to give your day some direction. But if your child needs extra time to do something, take that time, be flexible. You will get more enjoyment out of watching them take their first step, because you took that few extra minutes with them, instead of doing the dishes that afternoon. Thirdly, joining a playgroup will help socialize your child and is a good place for you to meet other moms. You can share stories, trouble shoot and sometimes vent. Find a hobby or activity to do in the evenings or on weekends when Dad can take care of the kids. Give yourself a break. You can take an educational or exercise class, join a book club or craft group, learn a skill or take a class online.
The Homework on Stay at Home Mom vs Working Mom
... an ongoing debate of the stay at home mom vs. the working mom. Which mom has it better? Which child benefits or flourishes more? Whose ... most accomplished in her day that a working mom can’t. So the debate continues stay at home mom vs. working mom. I’ve experienced both either ... his first time being able to roll himself over. These were the things undoubtedly that a stay at home mom would have ...
And most important, be proud of yourself and all you have accomplished each day. Be proud of being a stay at home mom. Go ahead and reward yourself, take time out to get your hair/nails done, get a massage or take a yoga class. Be good to yourself so that you can be good to and for your child. Enjoy the time you have at home, with your child, because before you know it, your time with them will be gone and they will be grown. Make the best of your time with them and you will forever reap the rewards of being a stay at home mom.
Id like to leave you with a quote I found from author Danny Ding:
As a mom, you bring comfort and happiness to your children, order and peace to your home, and friendship and laughter to your family. As a woman with a strong entrepreneurial spirit, you have found a way to provide for your family and home without sacrificing your time at home. Voila, Mom-trepreneur.
1. http://www.my-english-writing.com/essay/87/stay-at-home-mom/#sthash.iLOAECPu.dpuf
2. http://www.shareyouressays.com/84186/short-essay-on-stay-at-home-moms-vs-working-moms
3. http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/16/us/politics/ann-romneys-choice-not-typical-of-stay-at-home-mothers.html?_r=2&
