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My sister has decided to stay at home with her kids (ages 9 and 7). For the life of me, I cannot wrap my mind around it and do not support the decision because I think she's putting her future at risk. She has been a trailblazer in the industry - - - at least in her community and she has a graduate degree. But she says the pressures of working while raising two children who are in school are increasing to the point where the family's quality of life is suffering significantly. She mentioned pressures of homework, school activities, team sports, plus things like housework, shopping, having "time" for her husband and so on.
She is in her late 30s and says she cannot imagine going back full-time while she has children in school. Her husband is okay with the decision, but he makes just enough to pay the bills (she told me this).
Can you imagine why a woman with children old enough to be in school wouldn't get a job full-time? What do they do with their time? I just worry about her future security, but she says life insurance, savings and their IRA funds can tide them over if the worst things were to happen.
Lots of people choose to be stay at home parents. My BIL stays home and so do I. We have many friends who have one parent stay home.
I take care of the household, budget, errands,school related things, hobbies and insurance/ medical stuff. I do the grocery shopping, buy all of our clothes, take care of the garden and yard, and cook most meals.
I am busy, but not as busy as when I was working full time and doing half of all that. We are happy now, and I will probably go back to work in a few years. Who knows?
Don't they have after-school programs? I know they exist. Those programs are for working parents who need someone to watch them until they get off work. That puts a hole in her story and rationalization for this decision.
I stopped working when my children were school aged. I had a child that was very sick. It came down to the point that my husband and I couldn't trade off taking off work. We were putting both of our jobs at risk. Even after it was no longer necessary for me to stay home, we decided we liked how much easier it made our lives. Our children needed us more when they were school aged than before they started school.
Every parent makes sacrifices. Some sacrifice by working. Some sacrifice by losing income. They're all sacrifices, just different ways of doing it.
Don't they have after-school programs? I know they exist. Those programs are for working parents who need someone to watch them until they get off work. That puts a hole in her story and rationalization for this decision.
No it doesn't. Her kids are involved in sports. After school programs don't transport children around to their activities. And it is stressful to get the housework and chores done after getting home at 6 pm. She wants to spend time with her family, not focus on all of that stuff on the evenings and weekends. It's her right to make this decision. She doesn't even need to justify it with a story for you to blow holes through it.
My sister has decided to stay at home with her kids (ages 9 and 7). For the life of me, I cannot wrap my mind around it and do not support the decision because I think she's putting her future at risk. She has been a trailblazer in the industry - - - at least in her community and she has a graduate degree. But she says the pressures of working while raising two children who are in school are increasing to the point where the family's quality of life is suffering significantly. She mentioned pressures of homework, school activities, team sports, plus things like housework, shopping, having "time" for her husband and so on.
She is in her late 30s and says she cannot imagine going back full-time while she has children in school. Her husband is okay with the decision, but he makes just enough to pay the bills (she told me this).
Can you imagine why a woman with children old enough to be in school wouldn't get a job full-time? What do they do with their time? I just worry about her future security, but she says life insurance, savings and their IRA funds can tide them over if the worst things were to happen.
I can't wrap MY mind around how judgmental you are about this.
She TOLD you why; you just don't like the reasons.
Every person is different. Your sister is doing what is best for her and her family! You shouldn't question her motives, but applaud her for putting her family first. It's a hard decision.
For me, I could never be a SAHM, it is a ton of pressure and THE hardest job there is. Each family needs to do what is right for them, not the 'popular vote'
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