Do you think stay at home moms should work once all children are in school, are they wasting their lives?.?

Answer 1

Depends.

Does the father have a good job?

Does the father enjoy cooking, cleaning, general household maintenance, etc?

Define "wasting their lives." People here have mentioned that they enjoy sewing projects, scrapbooking, etc. I'd say pursuing hobbies one enjoys beats any just-for-the-money job.

Most critically -- does the mother want to work?

Keep in mind that there're plenty of mothers with a fifteen, even twenty year span in ages from the oldest to youngest child. It's not always just four years at home with the child.

The only advantage friends of mine with working mothers had over me when I was growing up was that their houses were sometimes more fun to hang out at given that we could watch all the awful television we wanted to, eat all the junk food we could get our hands on, etc. It was fun at the time, but I don't think it necessarily beats coming home to just-baked muffins, arts and crafts, etcetera. That said, I expect it would've been a bad deal all around if my mother hadn't been happy with staying home.

Answer 2

I always thought that working once the kids were in school would have very little impact on how they were raised. This really is not the case. Even in an ideal situation, You leave the house after the kids head off to school and return home before they do, there is still the house to clean, laundry to do, homework, shopping that needs to get done and meals to prepare. Not to mention your spouse needs attention and you need "down time". There are only a few hours left in the day between the kids getting home from school and when they head off to bed. I foolishly thought that it would get easier once they got a little older...not the case. Homework gets harder and their social calender gets busier. You don't just juggle kids and career, you are juggling kids, kids careers, kids social lives, spouses obligations, housework, meals, bills, family time and you still need to find a little time for yourself. I have two kids, one 12 and the other 14. They are great kids, no troubles (yet), but when things get hectic, I find my self reevaluating whether or not my job is worth it. In all honesty, I find that as the kids get older and their time with you becomes more limited, that it is more important for you to be there for them when they have time for you. I have never completley given up working, although there have been time I pulled back and worked less in order to get the family back on track. Working can be an asset, not only finacially, but it helps you retain an identity outside of your family. That is so important. It is very easy to lose yourself when you put everyone else first.
So to answer your question, wasting their lives? No way. What is more important than helping your children become the best adultd they can be?

Answer 3

I don't understand why this makes a difference to other people. I am a SAHM and I do plan to work part-time when my son starts school - or volunteer at the school. Or I may not, my plans may change. But the problem I have with this question is that my husband makes enough money to support all of us and if it is fine with him that I stay home then why is it not fine with others? I'm not going to be a drain on society and there will be one more job available for someone who really needs it.
No, I don't feel that I will be wasting my life if I don't work when my son starts school.

Answer 4

If they want to or have to. My kids are in school but I am certainly not wasting my life. I run a small animal rescue from home and also have several cats and dogs. I also take care of everything in the house (making sure my family has food and clean clothes and a safe and clean environment) and take care of all financial duties as well. I never watch TV until long after my kids are home (which is at 2:30) and homework is done and checked.

Answer 5

I would much rather stay home while my kids are in school. Everyone seems to think that women would be bored at home, but I can think of millions of things I could get done around here. Being able to run all my errands with out kids in tow... I could finally catch up on my scrapbooks and finish a ton of sewing projects I started but havent found time to finish. And I could finally have a beautiful flower garden that wasnt full of weeds. And for once in my life, I might actually be able to get ALL of my laundry done and have a spotless house (at least until the kids got home from school). I could have good healthy dinners cooked every night for my family. Yeah, I doubt I would get bored being at home rather than working.

Answer 6

i think this a question you and your partner should discuss. but i think if you dont need the money and you feel you are more help at home then stay, being a stay at home mum is a full time job even if the kids are at school. also if you find yourself becoming bored at home why not try a part time job at a local store or something simple to ease yourself back into the work place.

either way there is no need to feel guilty cos your not waisting your life!!!

Answer 7

I think thats a personal decision to be made by the woman and her mate and depends on lots of other circumstances that we may not know about. Wasting their lives? Well did the women who stayed home in the 50"s and 60"s waste thier lives? No they took care of their families. See here in the states people want it both ways they want the woman to take care of everything and work too. Thats just not how it goes. Make up your mind what you want.

Answer 8

I don't feel that I'm wasting my life...and if my husband makes enough money for the whole family, who's to say I need a job? My job is to raise up my family, and that takes work enough on it's own...it's not DOING everything, it's doing what I can, and training the kids to be able to do it so they aren't lazy slobs when THEY grow up and have their own places.

Anyway, moot point because we homeschool, so the kids aren't all going to be in school. bwahahaha! But really, kids need to have a loving presence in their lives all the time, not lose it because mom wants a few bucks of her own.

Answer 9

That depends on the family financial situation and their personal preferences. There are advantages to both. Both of my parents worked and if either I or one of my four siblings got sick there was nobody to pick us up and they couldn't come to any of our school events. I have a 9 month old and a 3 year old and I stay at home. I don't think I'm wasting my life. I'm planning on going back to school to become a midwife.

Answer 10

Once my youngest...who is 3 1/2...goes to full day school...this will not be for 2-3 years...maybe I will get a part-time job...I don't know...that will be my choice. However...I love being home with my children...they are the joy of my life...and I wouldn't have it any other way!!!