Stay at Home Moms'

You know i have taken up knitting and that helps a lot. i meet with my circle once a month and now make it a point to have someone over for dinner every other week which helps with that as well.
volunteering is great and always welcome.

Oh yes!!! I feel you!!! I'm also a SAHM and it has been almost two years that I've been home and you have no idea how many times I tried looking for a part time job that would work with my schedule with no luck! :-( Also there is no one to help me watch my LO while at work, both of my mother and mother-in-law have health issues and are older so they can't help, so the little money that I could make working would all go to babysitters or daycare which would be not worth it at the end.
I'm also a control freak and need to know everything my little one does and what he eats, how much and when, so at the end it wouldn't work me. What I try to do is get a babysitter twice a week and I go and do whatever I want. Go have lunch with friends, get nails done, go to mall, go grocery shopping, hang out with friend etc...., so that's my me time and it helps a lot! I also have my husband watch him at night while I go to the gym and get in the jacuzzi afterwards and this has helped soooo much in keeping me sane! Hope it helps you with ideas :-)

What about tutoring? You wouldn't have to bring work home, and you can make your own schedule, plus you'll get to use your degree!

in my opinion, it is essential to have other interests in life outside of your kids. Going away for a few days a week lets you be yourself (or some other part of yourself) and see your kids with new eyes.

I have a fantastic gym with great childcare, and whether I feel like it or not, I workout M-F because it's my guaranteed break...and hey, it's good for me and social too.

I have a 2 year old and a 7 month old, and in the fall, when the baby is one, I'll be starting some courses towards getting my personal training designation. I figure I can take my time and do it part time, and about when they are both in pre-school I can start to work some part-time hours and gradually build that up so that when they are in school full time I'll have a job, lots of experience and the ability to work flexible hours ensuring I'm home when they are.

Are there any courses you could take, like a photography course? Cooking? Cardmaking? Philosophy? Just things that would get you out of the house, on your own and engaged with other people. I so know that sometimes only hanging out with other Moms makes it all too easy to just talk about your kids. Maybe there's a book club that you could join - or even start one!

I've also considered getting a part time job at Baby Gap...because it would fund my children's wardrobe and I'd get the discount at Banana Republic and Gap to dress my husband and I.

It's tough, and at times mind-numbing, but your little one will soon be a lot more talkative and while she'll play a lot on her own, she'll also chit chat a lot more. There are days when I would love to drop them off and go do something...anything, but I constantly remind myself to soak up every one of these days (except for the super bad ones, haha) because they go so, so fast. And soon I'll have hours that I won't know what to do with and wish there was a little voice asking me to play hide and seek, or asking for more juice, or poking her brother's eye, or just snuggling and telling me that he loves me so much.

Long days, but short years, and this sounds trite, but don't wish them away!

Right about the two year mark I started to get cabin fever...lucky for me my husband and I have ownership in an Irish Pub so I am able to work 2 lunch shifts per week. Honestly, this satisfies some of my need for adult interaction and all of my need for time away from the home without my daughter. Maybe you could look into bartending or serving a few times a week. Most bars/restaurants are extremely flexible with scheduling and offer part-time postitions. Also, you could look into substitute teaching but that is more of an on-call job and would require short notice for babysitting, etc. Bottom line, if you are feeling the need, satisfy that need. We are much better women, wives, mothers, friends, lovers if we are happy with ourselves! :) good luck

Absolutely. I feel that way on a weekly (sometimes daily) basis. Time away from my son (not full-time - not even much part-time - perhaps 15 hours week) would make me a better mother, I truly believe. I had begun looking for part-time work when we found out baby #2 was on the way, and since maternity leave does not come with part-time work, I put my search on hold. In any case, I learned that it was very difficult for me to find something part-time in my field, and I'm really not interested in working in another area. I hope you will have better luck.

A.,
Yes, yes, yes. I do think getting out of the house a bit each week does help me. I started my own business when my son was 6 months old- very part time. I can tell you, my mind was going- I needed mental stimulation and something of my own. It was quite a shift going from working FT, to being a mom (to a fussy baby, at that) FT. I started selling children's books called Barefoot Books and love it. I love that I make my own schedule and can work when I want, and how much I want. I love bringing in some extra money of my own, and I enjoy having all of these great books around for my son to enjoy. I am due with our 2nd in 7 weeks, and I'm so grateful that I have the ability to take as much time off as I need to be with our newborn.
As a teacher, you might really appreciate selling Barefoot Books. I work mostly on weekends, and do a lot of teachers' conferences and school book fairs. It has really helped me be more present when I am home with my son. If you want more details, just let me know. More info is on my website below.

Good luck to you!
T.
Barefoot Books Team Leader
www.ReadandGrow.com

I'm not a SAHM, although alot of days I wish that I could stay at home. I work full-time outside the home. After work, I then come home and play "catch up" completing all of the household task I would have done if I had been home all day. Plus I have exercise class 2 nights per week to keep my energy levels up. My husband works 13 hours a day so he does not do housework. I'm always overwhelmed and exhausted.

I know that If I was at home all day I would be complaining too. I often wondered how I would feel after a couple of months and what I would do with all my time while the kids were at school. would I lose my identity or become bored? Who would I talk to all day? What reason would I have to buy new outfits when I don't have anywhere to go?LOL I think I would have the best of both worlds if I could work my job every other week.

I think would be happier if you worked a couple of days per week. Hopefully you can find something that does not interfer with your current schedule.

Good Luck

I worked various part-time jobs (which added up to almost full time) before I had my daughter. As soon as I had her I had no plans of going back to work... well after 3 months I really did feel the urge to get back to work, mainly for some adult time and doing something besides being just a mom (which being a SAHM is amazing but not the right fit for everyone). There was just a part of me that I felt I was neglecting, the creative, social part that very much of who I am.

Thankfully the very part-time place I worked at is flexible, I am a house manager at a concert hall, I do supplies/food runs whenever I want as long as the items needed are at the hall 6 or so hours before they are needed, the concerts are in the evening and I work once a week in the evening (there are 3 other House managers so we split the events). I am still a SAHM but get to use my talents that I have besides being a mom.

I also volunteer at the church I belong to and I want to volunteer at the animal shelter, but have not been able to take the needed classes the shelter offers yet.

Every mom is going to have a different feeling of if they want/need to do something else or if they feel fulfilled by being a SAHM. Personally I think it is a good idea to find a par-time job or volunteer if one feels that they have something to give. I have also found that the time I spend working away (about 10 hours a week) from my daughter I treasure the moments I have with her more then I did when I was not working

Instead of a SAHM would you settle for WAHM for some adult interaction? I found the perfect work from home job a couple of months ago. I am still working full-time, but hope to be working exclusively from home some day. For now, I’m able to get some extra money by putting in a couple hours a week. Let me know if you want more information. Send me a private message or call me at ###-###-#### and ask for K..

I don't have any practical advice, but I just want to support you. I think it's great when moms stay home, and great when they work. Make an informed choice and do what makes you happiest, if you can. After all, isn't that what you'd want for your daughter? I don't think that you should feel guilty AT ALL about wanting some time away from your daughter. We accept that everyone's marriage is different, why can't we accept that our relationships with our kids are different? (PS - I'm a much better mom, wife, and person because I work. I love my kids and I love my job.) Good luck in your search.

I have been a SAHM for 4 years. I LOVE working a few hours a week. I found a P/T job that I work 14 hrs a week. For me the key was finding something low key, little to no stress and somewhat enjoyable. For me it's important to have a "whatever p/t job" where it's always known that my DD comes first. She is my main job, and my p/t work comes secondary. Meaning when she is sick or something like that I stay home with her. I was able to find an office job on craigslist. Took a while, but was well worth it! Good Luck!

I am a SAHM for 15 mo and I was a teacher before (well preschool, going to school for my BA in ECE, and a parent educator) I did feel this way for a little while when things were very demanding at home but it did pass for me. However, I do know a lot of moms that feel this way and I dont think you should feel bad about it. It is hard to be a mom 24/7 and having some kind of job might give you time to miss her, time to be a 'real person' again not just xx mom, and oddly a break (yeah when you are a sahm work is a break lol). you need adult interaction and that should not make you feel badly. I say go for it, give it a try and if it works for your family great. Just make sure it is something you can get out of if it does not work out. best of luck.

I'm a SAHM and right now I love it, but I do have days where I wish I went to work. I always say when the days I want to work out way the days I want to stay home, then I'm going back to work. My sister however is a much better mom because she works. She loves her kids, but I know my sister's personality and she would be a worse mom is she stayed home. She would get completely overwhelmed and have little patience with her young children. Because of the time away, she has much more patience and really enjoys her time with the kids. Have you thought about being a substitute teacher? You wouldn't have to bring work home and, at least when I was in Virginia, you could pick and choose when you wanted to work.

I started to sell Discovery Toys when my son was an infant. Because it's a child-friendly business, I could bring him with me to certain business-related events and activities. I was impressed the first time I went to one of our conventions that a separate room was set up for nursing moms with the audio piped in.

The best part of the business is that you and your child get award-winning toys to play with together. Your child will be so happy this is the work that you do! Besides the extra income and interaction with other mommies, you get to spend quality time with your child, and your time is flexible. You decide when you want to work. One night a month, one day a week...up to you. There are also some incredible perks like incentive trips to exotic destinations. Several years ago my husband and I went to Rio de Janeiro, an all-expense paid trip for 2 of us. Next year the trip is to Costa Rica.

Please read more at www.toysofdiscovery.com