Should i be a stay at home mom

There are many things you and your partner need to look at when you decide to become a stay-at-home mom. You need to make sure that you are looking at all of your options before you make that decision. There are times when family might be able to help you out or daycares that you do feel comfortable leaving your child out.

But you also need to talk to your work. There may be options for you to work different shifts or even telecommute from home. Go through all of your options to make sure you are not missing anything. This can mean that they are starting the discussion of you leaving your job to become a stay-at-home parent. Though this might not be exactly what you want you are listening to what they have to stay about this topic. But if you love your job and you found a place where you can leave your child then do what your gut tells you and keep working.

You can only guess what it is like being a stay at home parent before you actually become one. But talking to people who are staying at home parents can really help you understand all of the responsibilities that they face. This can really help you make up your mind when you hear from people first hand. When your baby is a newborn the do not do much besides eat and sleep. But as they grow they are going to need social and mental stimulation.

At daycares, teachers create lesson plans for what kids will be doing every day and at home, you are going to want to create a list of activities you want your child to learn. From teaching them how to read or taking them to a kid's museums these activities are important and if you are not a creative person it can be hard for you to come up with them.

There is no time frame for being a stay-at-home parent. Some parents stay at home until their child is in preschool, high school, or they wait until their kids graduate from high school. The time frame a person can be a stay-at-home parent depends entirely on each family.

For others, leaving the workforce is a conscious decision. Some companies might allow you to keep one foot in the workforce when you become a parent — perhaps going part-time or working remotely — which could make the decision feel less all-or-nothing.

Will you attend seminars, take online courses, opt for continued education, listen to podcasts or read publications related to your field? Maintaining your professional connections is also key. A LinkedIn survey found that as many as 85 percent of jobs are landed through connections, so staying in touch with former colleagues during your time as a SAHM can be smart.

Think attending in-person networking events, catching up with old coworkers over email or coffee, or even working freelance jobs here and there. Some SAHMs report feeling as though only some people were supportive of their decision. Research from Harvard Business School found that children of working moms grow up to be just as happy as those of stay-at-home moms.

Previous studies had also shown that young children and teenagers do just fine when their moms work, so hopefully this recent research offers additional peace of mind for working moms. What to Expect follows strict reporting guidelines and uses only credible sources, such as peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions and highly respected health organizations.

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In , just two weeks after announcing my pregnancy, I was laid off. My entire team was cut, along with two hundred other employees in my department. I landed a new job quickly and negotiated an eight-month delay to my start date! My twenty-six-week severance check would easily cover my bills until I returned to work.

My stay-at-home stint was supposed to be temporary, but after a few months, I had a change of heart. I called my new boss to tell him the news. Then I collapsed into a ball of tears. Quitting my job to be a stay-at-home mom forever altered my life. Here is what I wish someone would have told me before I quit. Some women love staying home with their kids, and some end up hating it.

It may sound ideal to become a stay-at-home mom, but for some people, it can feel like a very lonely, sometimes dull existence. The experience depends on how old your children are, what type of social network you have, and how you like to spend your time. Before you decide to quit, ask yourself why you want to stay at home and how much time you want to spend with your kids.

One woman I met wanted to be a stay-at-home mom so badly that she stayed awake at night running numbers and sobbing over them. Some parents want to spend every moment with their children. They cry at the thought of placing their children in daycare.

Others just want a little more time than they have right now. Two of my former coworkers created work-from-home arrangements that provided the best of both worlds. If you trust your manager, have an open conversation so you can discuss your options. Are there ways to modify your job so you can also stay-at-home mom with your kids?

Are there ways to make your position less stressful or more enjoyable? Can you switch positions or find methods to take on fewer stress-inducing tasks? Write down a list of tasks you perform and review them with your boss.

Which ones can you complete at night or early in the morning? Find out when you need to be available throughout the day and if you can diminish your time in the office.

You can also ask about decreasing the number of hours you work each week. Can you cut your workday from eight hours to six? Can you modify your schedule to work four days rather than five per week? Keep in mind, though, that even with the best of schedules, it can be challenging to balance family and work.

Find your most recent paystub and start looking over the figures. Factor in your salary and employer matches to your k, b, TSP, and health savings accounts.

How much do you currently pay for medical, dental, vision, and life insurance? While running the numbers, make sure to calculate rising wages, bonuses, and stock grants. If you have money left over after paying for childcare and other expenses, run further calculations to see how much those investments will be worth ten, twenty, or thirty years from now. Can their salary support your current lifestyle without any extra income?

Can you test drive living off of one salary for an extended period of time? Add up monthly figures for gas, clothes, lunches, and daycare. Then review these numbers with your partner. How much will you earn after deducting the expenses associated with work? After running the numbers, keep a balanced view of the stay-at-home debate. If you want to become a stay-at-home mom, I urge you to look at your finances and see if you can quit without causing financial hardships.

There are two ways to spread your money. You can earn more or spend less. What can you cut back on, and how much can you save before you quit?

The less you need to make to pay your bills, the easier it will be to leave work. Weigh the benefits of working to build up your emergency fund and rainy day savings accounts.

If you already have money in the bank, you may be able to make the leap. Think about your current skills and ask yourself if there might be other ways to make money without a typical 9-to-5 job.

Can you find time to freelance, start a blog, sell items on eBay, or create an Etsy store? What else can you do to bring in extra money? In an ideal world, you can test these techniques before quitting your job.

You will be exhausted in those early months. Staying home with kids is time-intensive, and the first year is incredibly challenging. Stay away from MLMs and avoid schemes that promise to make you rich. Be wary of friends who try to entice you with tales of selling their high-priced products.