Questions for stay at home parents

[Jen]

Do you plan to go back to work at some point? Say, once your children go to school a full day?
I know some stay at home parents have degrees and had careers. I'm curious if you plan to return to the work force when your kids get older.
I'm starting to wonder what I will do once all of mine are in school. Granted, I've got about 5 years to think about it!

[sheila]

Do you plan to go back to work at some point? Say, once your children go to school a full day?
Full time? I sure hope not. I do some work from home right now, and I'd like to do more when the kids are in school more, but I know I don't want to go back to an office 9-5 again. Whatever I do, whether it is more of what I am doing now or something else, I want to be my own boss and set my own hours.

[Jayne]

For me I guess I am a WAHM. I am a Nanny but in my own home. I plan to continue what I am doing when Alyssa goes to school full time next year. Basically because I hope to have another child then myself (well shortly after that) I think that maybe once I am done having children and they are in school full time (passed the elementary stage) I might finish my degree and get a more perminant job (I just have to student teach to be a music teacher...however when the time comes I will have to take a few more classes I am sure)

I enjoy children. I could just plan to be a Nanny forever. I don't know yet. At 30...well not much more to do :lol:

[AmyP]

That's a good question. DH wants me to go back to work full-time once our youngest child is in school a full day (assuming Sarah isn't it). I, on the other hand, don't want to. I wouldn't mind doing something part-time. Like Sheila, I really don't want to go back to an office 9-5 job. I'd prefer to be my own boss and set my own hours, or at least work somewhere where I can set my own hours.

[Michele]

I would like to go back to work. I can't imagine staying home all day when both my kids aren't here. However, I do want to do something parttime/mother's hours, b/c I would like to be here after school for them. I'm planning on going back to school to get my master's in education, so hopefully being a teacher will be the solution.

[Cami]

I have a masters degree and I had a "career." But I wouldn't be able to go right back and pick up where I stopped. I'd have to take a big step back. Part of that is just the job, part is my own fault at not keeping up my skills and contacts.

I guess I have no plan. I do know that there is a lot I can do (related to the kids) when they are in school. I know that it would be a lot of craziness for us both to work full time. I know that I would be the one taking off most of the time if the kids were sick, on vacation, whatever. So for a lot of reasons, it just doesn't seem like a fun thing to go back to a full time job.

It's hard to say now. I can't imagine my kids being 10, 8, and 7. Or 15, 13, and 12.

All my friends say they'll do "something" because they can't imagine not working. They think they'll go crazy with nothing to do. I think I'm selfish and lazy because I think I'd love it. :lol: If we stay in England, all my kids will be in school full time in fall 2009 (in the US, fall 2010). That's the thought that gets me through some days now. :)

[Kara]

I'll continue to go out to work at DH's family business. Right now, I do mornings when Austin is at school. I plan to still do mornings in the fall and then shop in the afternoon with SIL LOL!

[Karri]

Do you plan to go back to work at some point? Say, once your children go to school a full day?
Full time? I sure hope not. We're able to live just fine w/o me working. However, Chris seems to think I should work, at least p/t.
Once the kids are in school f/t, I think I'll see what interests me. I would never go back just to go back, KWIM? I know I don't want to work f/t in an office again. Like Cami, I have a MBA and I had a career, but for me, it wasn't something I was passionate about. I think I'll do some volunteer work and then go from there. It would be nice to work a bit - doing something that means something to me- while the kids are in school. but I still want time for being involved w/ the kids school. I want to volunteer in school and be really involved. And be there in the am/afternoons.

[Jayne]

Yep...Karri, that is how I feel...That is why I said I would wait till my youngest was through elementary before doing anything. Tylor is in 5th grade and at this point there isn't a whole lot I do in the classroom for him. They jsut don't need parents that way. But through 3rd grade I was very very involved and I want to do that for all my children

[magoo]

I'm curious if you plan to return to the work force when your kids get older.
I'm starting to wonder what I will do once all of mine are in school.
See, this is why I want to keep having kids. Then I won't have to worry about it! :lol:

Okay, so since that isn't realistic... I have a few options, but I wouldn't want to work full time. Like some others have said, I'd still like to be around as much as possible for after school and be available to help in the class, go on class trips, etc.

I used to be on the supply list for the YMCA day care centres, so I would consider seeing if I could get back on that, or do some other part time work with the Y.

I've also considered doing something on my own. Maybe photography, or making photo cards, scrapbooks, etc. :dunno:

[Darcy]

As someone who's new to this SAHM thing, I'm not sure what I'll end up doing. I was an editor, so if I went back, it certainly wouldn't be for the money. :lol: We're able to live with just Phil's salary (obviously), and on most days I enjoy being home. I'd most likely do some p/t work once the kids are in school full-time, but again, I'd want to be home for them when they were home. So I'd wonder what I'd do during the summers or days off from school. There might be a possibility for working in the evenings somewhere (like a newspaper), but I guess I'll cross that bridge when I get there. I did really enjoy what I did, but I didn't care for the commute or the politics. I could probably do some editing from home, but I don't have any contacts with which I could network. :dunno:

[sabrina]

Since I will be my children's teacher when they go to school, I will have even less free time. So the possibility of working is 100% out. Even if they were in public or private school I dwould not work still.

[Melissa]

I'm going back to work in the Fall of 2008 unless something Reed is promoted and is required to stay an additional few years in the Army. I have a BA in Fine Arts and a BS in Education (Music Education degree) and 4 years of teaching experience. By the time I go back to teaching I'll have a master's degree (and possibly working on a doctorate). I can't wait to go back to teaching. Especially since it is a great schedule when you do have children. Yes it is full time but my schedule with be similar to my child's.

[Karly]

Once the kids are in school full time, I do plan to go back to work, but like the others said, I'm sure it will only be part time. I did enjoy my job at the bank, so I might go back to do something like that. :dunno: I can't imagine not ever working for a paycheck again in my life, so I'm sure I'll do something.

[Jen]

Lots of good ideas. Hmmm, no one wants to be a "lady who lunches"? :lol: It would be nice to be able to reconnect with my friends again once all our kids are in school. We get together now but who can hear over the roar of 6 kids? :lol:

[Clare]

I would like to be a lady who lunches :lol:

I can't ever imagine going back to work full-time. My plan is to do part-time work when all the kids are in school. At this stage, that will be Feb 2009. If I can get a job outside the home between 10am-2pm, maybe 4 days a week, that will be ideal. Those type of jobs are rare though, so it seems more likely that I might look into some kind of WAH opportunity. I still want to be available to volunteer at school and I need to be able to take them to school and pick them up. I wouldn't work if it meant having to pay for any kind of childcare b/c that would defeat the purpose of working!

[Bev]

I would love to be a lady who lunches. :)

Clare is going to be starting her own party planning business in February of 2009. Clare's Parties Extraordinaire! or something along those lines. :party3:

I was a temporary SAHM. I'm going for re-training on Jan 21st for 13 weeks and will be back at work full time, but shift work. I think the hours will be pretty decent and the time off is pretty good as I retain my seniority.

I will be able to be home after school if I'm on day or midnight shift and Patrick will be there if I'm on afternoons. I can't quit the gov't unfortunately because I have too many years in and I'd screw myself pension wise if I did.

They do have P-T positions where I'm going, as well as job-sharing so I'll have to look into that. If I have to work full time, I need a job that does not require much mental effort and that will stay at the job when I leave so I won't be thinking about it at home. I hope this job, along with the shift work aspect will be better for that. I will be able to arrange days off for field trips and such and even if I won't be at all the games, I can certainly do lots of other stuff.

[Karri]

Shoot. Don't get me wrong. I will be al ady who lunches. And a lady who runs. Its goiing to take me awhile to figure out what kind of PT job I wan to do.

[shasta]

I have no idea when I'll go back to work or if I'll ever go back. DD2 is 5 months old and won't be in school full day until she's 6, so I have another six years for sure of being a full time SAHM. Hopefully by the time the baby is in school all day we won't be living in this neighborhood. I'll have to see what employment opportunities are out there when/if the time comes.

[Cami]

I was looking at the local job ads today and found two jobs that are the kind of thing that I think would like to do. Pay is crap but the jobs sound like fun.

"Visitors Coordinator" at a local museum. Full time or job share. "coordinate school visits... no one day is the same... attend to special needs of each group... coordinate workshops for visitors"

"Wedding Coordinator" at a local wedding venue/resort. 1 day per week, some weekends. "process inquiries, ensure couple's wedding preferences are handled"

Both would fit around my luncheon schedule. :lol:

[TtownAnne]

I'd like to be a lady who lunches, with a few other amusing things to do between lunches. I don't know what they are yet, though - I do not have a college degree, so it's not like I have a "career" to return to, but I would like something to occupy my days, while still allowing me time for exercise and craft stuff and the like.

[Michele]

I'd ultimately like to be a lady who lunches as well, but I just don't see that happening with the COL where we live. Even if money was no object I think I would have to at least volunteer somewhere, b/c I could see myself getting very lazy.

[Bev]

I do not have a college degree, so it's not like I have a "career" to return to.
I have a university degree and while I may have had a "career" at one point, since I've been married/had kids it is now a "job." BIG difference, I think. I neither need, nor want a career at this point. :)

Those jobs sound great Cami! :aok:

[mommy_of_5]

I Will Probably Finish My Degree And Start Teaching By The Time Creed (18 Mos) Is In The 1st Grade. I Am In No Hurry Though.... I Always Tease My Dh About What He Will Eat Once I Go Back To Work. Has Gotten Into Having Home Cooking Every Night. When I Worked Full Time Before The 2 Youngest I Was The Hamburger Helper Queen! Now It Is All From Scratch (gotta Save Money Where We Can)

[Elisete]

I would like to take some "me time off" but I do know that I do want to go back to work.
I was going to go to school this past Fall to become a massage therapist but I became pregnant and Ben was born in Oct. so I'll be putting that off for a little while. I want to be able to work when the boys are in school and be home for them after school or work a few hours at night when DH is home. I also want the flexability to work around my DH schedule. We'll see.

[MrsPeacefrog]

My aim is to have our business built up to the point that by the time the kids are in school that is looking after us so I won't have to go back to a regular job.

If my dream doesn't come into fruition I will just go back to working permanat/partime with my dad's business and work the hours inbetween school so I can drop them off and pick them up.

I would much rather win the lottery and not do any of it! :lol: Tony has declared if we win the lottery then he will run up George St naked (that's the main road running through the Sydney CBD) I plan on making that come true!

[Jillian]

I think once all my children are in school full days I plan to go back to college...I think I want to be a certified nurse midwife...but all my kids being in school all day is a long way off.

[Jillian]

I enjoy children. I could just plan to be a Nanny forever. I don't know yet. At 30...well not much more to do :lol:


My mom ran a daycare out of her home for 24 or so years, then she moved to pennsylvania this summer and thought she wanted a change of pace...but after a few weeks she found 4 kids to watch in her home, she just couldn't stand not having a baby/toddler around.

[laurie]

Neither my husband or I plan on me ever going back to work. I've had kids both in school and believe me, I still stayed *plenty* busy! :) I would drop them off back then and head to the gym in the morning, get the house in order and laundry done, errands taken care of, basically anything that needed to be done so that when I picked them up, I was ready to be "present" for them. It was wonderful. My friends and I would get together one daya week and I had a Bible study one morning a week. I volunteered for a couple of different programs that I felt passionately about. I was always the room mom and part of the pta. Trust me, you're BUSY! :lol: And we like the lifestyle. I'm never stressed when hubby or kids get home, things get taken care of, it's great. At some point in it, I felt the desire to adopt and we did and now I have a 4yr. old that keeps me equally busy, but even if we didn't and even when he's older and in school, I will not be re-entering the work force. I like to be the barometer of the home and I want a peaceful home. For my personality that's best attained by having the downtime to think about where the kids are at in their lives and how best to encourage them and steer them and to think of ways to keep our very happy marriage happy after almost 19yrs and to do the things in life that I find important and keep me happy. :)

*edited to add* this is works for US. I'm not taking away from anyone who may make a different decision. It's great to hear how everyone makes it work to best suit their family. :love: