The Stay At Home Mom.

I love SAHM’s. They are my heroes. I admire them and look up to them more than I could express in this blog. The sacrifices a woman must make these days to put her kids first as a SAHM are pretty intense. First they must put up with all the nay-sayers. Those who put them down for only being SAHM’s, for “wasting” their education and talents, and for not contributing to the finances of the family. As a future SAHM, and quite open about my intentions to be so, I have already faced this. Particularly with those who were involved in my education in some way or another, teachers, supervisors, classmates, etc. I got my education for many reasons. But none of them was so that I could work for the rest of my life. I am constantly defending my decision to stay at home with my future kids but that is alright with me. I am planning to have children to give them a life, not to continue on with mine. Their needs will immediately become my first priority and my wants will be set aside until the appropriate time.

These days, it’s also pretty normal for a family to function on two incomes. This becomes the SAHM’s second big challenge. In order to live off one income, many SAHM must budget their brains out. They must clip coupons and figure out what kind of things they have at the home that they can do without. Do they really need cable TV? Do they really need a boat? Do they really need two cars? My motto is, and will be: “Find something else to eliminate besides me.” I don't want to take myself out of the home and take all those fun moments that a mommy gets to experience away from me so we can afford the extra vacations, the big house, the expensive clothes or the flashy cars. My job in the home will be to make ends meet with my husband’s income, whether that be 25k or 125k. My job will be to budget. That is how I will contribute financially to our family. These are just 2 of the many challenges and sacrifices a SAHM must make, but how lucky a SAHM is in return. First of all, I HATE getting up and going to work every day. No matter what job I have ever had, even the ones I have loved, I still don't love being committed daily to that job. Why would I want to subject myself to a job every day when I could play with and teach my kids instead? Also, kids do and say the cutest darn things. Why would I want to miss out on any of that to go to work, a place I hate? And what about from a child's point of view… How many of you, given the chance to re-live your childhood would choose to be raised by babysitters, nannies, daycare workers over a mother? I would give anything to go back and have a childhood with an at home mother. I know firsthand what it is like not to have a SAHM and I refuse to put my kids through that. I know what it’s like to be a latch key kid, to be on your own for homework, dinner, putting yourself to bed, and have no one to step in and save you from your mean brothers who constantly pick on you. I know what it is like to be bored to tears being home alone all day every day. I also know what it's like to be fiercely jealous of any friend who had a SAHM. I vow that my kids will never experience that.

Now, this is not meant to be a diss on the working mother. It's not meant to make one feel guilty, and I'm not looking for the defensive arguments, I'm just pointing out that being a mom is such a cool thing, why would anyone choose to miss out when they didn’t have to? (And I get a little worried about day cares after reading this.) I am also pointing out that we are morally obligated once we bring a child into the world to do what is best for them, not for us. And I don't know, what kid would you rather be?

The one with the SAHM, who wants and loves to have quality time with you?

 

Or the one with the mom who is just a little too busy with the clients to read to you or to take you to the park or enjoy your cooing and babble talk?

Or would you rather be the kid who gets to spend his day lined up in one of these cute rows, only getting attention at feeding and changing time?

I don't know, maybe its just me, but I like the idea of giving my kids the first mom. But your right, I'm probably wasting my my education.