Pros/Cons of the Stay-at-home-Mom
When Matt and I started discussing the idea of having a baby, I knew from the beginning that I wanted to be a "stay at home Mom". Matt wasn't on board with me staying at home until Colton actually arrived. It wasn't that he didn't want me to be at home with our son, he just didn't think we would be able to afford it. During my entire pregnancy, we were on the fence about the subject. Am I going to be able to stay home? Are we going to be able to afford it? Should I go back to work for the health benefits? What are we going to do? How are we going to manage? What daycare? Could Mom watch him part time? The list went on and on and on. Once we got home with Colton, we were both 100% sure that me staying home with our little guy was going to be the best situation for our family. We were determined to make it work!
There are so many pros and cons to being a stay at home Mom. The Moms who work a job outside the home say "I would sure love to be at home with my little one" and Moms who are working at home all day say "I would sure love a day away"! The grass is always greener. :-)
It's really tough making the decision to stay at home or to put a child in daycare. For some people, there is no choice. There are a lot of single parent families out there. It's tough enough raising a child with the help of my spouse, I sure wouldn't want to tackle it alone - kudos to all you single parents out there.
There have always been studies done by "experts" and some experts in early childhood development believe there's no substitute for keeping a kiddo at home, especially if the alternative is poorly funded childcare. There were two studies conducted, one by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) and another by the Institute of Child Development of the University of Minnesota. The studies found that kids who spent all day in daycare had higher levels of stress and aggression than kids who were kept at home. But other studies contradict these reports, and most experts believe that the quality, not the type of childcare, is what's most important. A great babysitter, daycare worker or family member can make sure a child gets the stimulation and affection they need to grow and advance (sometimes more stimulation than a child in the home all day).
The biggest "pro" to me staying at home with Colton is that I get to watch him grow every day. I get to witness all the little quirks, "firsts", bad moments, good moments...the whole nine yards. Besides watching him grow, I know that he is getting the best care I can provide for him. I don't have to remember to ask if he ate all his lunch or what time he used the potty - I already know the answers. Being a Mom is - by far - the most rewarding job I've ever had. I know that I am influencing a life each and every day. For Matt and I, another "pro" to me being a stay at home Mom is the money. Yes, I gave up my income but once we figured in time (1 hour drive, 9 hour work day, 1 hour drive), gas money and daycare expenses, it was just as cheap for me to stay home!
There are cons to being a Mommy at home all day. The "quirks" I mentioned earlier, yeah, those are cute for a couple of hours but sometimes the fussy, cranky, crying baby can really make me want to pull my hair out by the end of the day. Moms that work a job outside the home "get" to leave that behind for 8+ hours a day. Sometimes, I miss being around other adults and I definitely miss having "alone time". I used to have an hour drive to work and an hour home and - even though it was not fun - that was my alone time! I've been trying very hard to make sure that Colton has lots of social interaction (with a big family, that's pretty easy) because being at home with him all day, every day could lead to him becoming very dependent of "only Mommy". As much as I want to be there for him when he needs me, I also want to make sure that he is exposed to the socialization that he needs to become a well-rounded individual.
Being a full-time Mommy has its challenges but it's the best decision I've ever made. Sure, we make sacrifices and give up some of the "adventures" we used to participate in. Now if you ask me if I'd rather have a girls night out or a night in with my boys? I'd pick the latter 9 times out of 10. It's funny, I read an article listing "Tips for the Stay-at-Home-Mom to Save Money" and one of them said "trade camping trips for hotel stays and home-cooked meals instead of eating out" and I thought "man, we must be doing something right - those are two of our favorite things...camping and home-cooked meals"! :-)
There are so many pros and cons to being a stay at home Mom. The Moms who work a job outside the home say "I would sure love to be at home with my little one" and Moms who are working at home all day say "I would sure love a day away"! The grass is always greener. :-)
It's really tough making the decision to stay at home or to put a child in daycare. For some people, there is no choice. There are a lot of single parent families out there. It's tough enough raising a child with the help of my spouse, I sure wouldn't want to tackle it alone - kudos to all you single parents out there.
There have always been studies done by "experts" and some experts in early childhood development believe there's no substitute for keeping a kiddo at home, especially if the alternative is poorly funded childcare. There were two studies conducted, one by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) and another by the Institute of Child Development of the University of Minnesota. The studies found that kids who spent all day in daycare had higher levels of stress and aggression than kids who were kept at home. But other studies contradict these reports, and most experts believe that the quality, not the type of childcare, is what's most important. A great babysitter, daycare worker or family member can make sure a child gets the stimulation and affection they need to grow and advance (sometimes more stimulation than a child in the home all day).
The biggest "pro" to me staying at home with Colton is that I get to watch him grow every day. I get to witness all the little quirks, "firsts", bad moments, good moments...the whole nine yards. Besides watching him grow, I know that he is getting the best care I can provide for him. I don't have to remember to ask if he ate all his lunch or what time he used the potty - I already know the answers. Being a Mom is - by far - the most rewarding job I've ever had. I know that I am influencing a life each and every day. For Matt and I, another "pro" to me being a stay at home Mom is the money. Yes, I gave up my income but once we figured in time (1 hour drive, 9 hour work day, 1 hour drive), gas money and daycare expenses, it was just as cheap for me to stay home!
There are cons to being a Mommy at home all day. The "quirks" I mentioned earlier, yeah, those are cute for a couple of hours but sometimes the fussy, cranky, crying baby can really make me want to pull my hair out by the end of the day. Moms that work a job outside the home "get" to leave that behind for 8+ hours a day. Sometimes, I miss being around other adults and I definitely miss having "alone time". I used to have an hour drive to work and an hour home and - even though it was not fun - that was my alone time! I've been trying very hard to make sure that Colton has lots of social interaction (with a big family, that's pretty easy) because being at home with him all day, every day could lead to him becoming very dependent of "only Mommy". As much as I want to be there for him when he needs me, I also want to make sure that he is exposed to the socialization that he needs to become a well-rounded individual.
Being a full-time Mommy has its challenges but it's the best decision I've ever made. Sure, we make sacrifices and give up some of the "adventures" we used to participate in. Now if you ask me if I'd rather have a girls night out or a night in with my boys? I'd pick the latter 9 times out of 10. It's funny, I read an article listing "Tips for the Stay-at-Home-Mom to Save Money" and one of them said "trade camping trips for hotel stays and home-cooked meals instead of eating out" and I thought "man, we must be doing something right - those are two of our favorite things...camping and home-cooked meals"! :-)
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