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But, I'm sorry. Once the kids are off to school, the life of a SAHM is the easiest gig on the planet. Particularly if she's done her job as a mother and taught the kids to be halfway responsible around the house.
Oh... don't be sorry. I fully acknowledge that if I didn't have this business to run once the kids started school, I'd be in HEAVEN... crafting to my heart's delight, perhaps even picking up a soap opera or two.
As we made the choice to go into the military together for the sake of the family we wanted to have, we also chose to get out together. And as one poster pointed out, I did consider (temporarily) going back to work for health insurance, BUT as a self-employed sahm I have way more freedom and free time for the kids and my dh - something we have all gotten used to. Our sacrifices for the past 8 1/2 years were at times... extreme. Just because my kids are in school now doesn't mean that my years as a sahm (and a military wife to boot) don't count. Comparing a sahm with young kids under 5 to a "working" mom with kids over 5 is like comparing... apples and Ford Mustangs. Yes, they both come in red, green and yellow... but past that they have few features in common.
Okay, that's not completely fair. But you cannot start out comparing sahms and working moms in general and then switch it to something so specific. How about we compare the mothering of a sahm with twins under 2 plus a 4yo with a "working mom" with one 10yo child and a nanny? Different animals entirely, right?!
I think the government should pay women to stay home and cook and do all that good stuff, thats more than most jobs pay and you get to stay home, sounds like a pretty good deal to me, what do you think?
I've been on both sides. Neither is easier or harder than the other.
I saw the intent of this thread as light-hearted, not for others to start a competition of who does more, etc.
I was just talking to my dh the other day about how somedays I feel like I've given up everything (in my professional world) to change diapers & clean sand out of hair. And he said "You have. But look what you have gotten in return". Becoming a parent was A CHOICE. Staying at home : A CHOICE. Working outside the home: A CHOICE. I will say that there are moms/dads out there who would love to be SAHM/D's, but due to severe economic reasons, they cannot. There are also women out there who would like to NOT be SAHMs but due to circumstances cannot.
Maybe now I see why I don't care for Mom groups, etc. I can't deal with grown up women needing to outdo each other at every possible angle as if they are still in junior high.
Before other ladies are such quick to jump on the bandwagon of judging, maybe "think".
I agree, I've been on both sides of the fence, too. Whether moms are taking care of children full-time or working full-time, we are all working hard. We all just need to support each other and know that every family situation is different.
I think what the OP intended to illustrate is that moms who raise their children full-time are saving their family a lot of money. Employed mothers have the satisfaction of a paycheck for their hard work but the benefits of a SAHM's hard work is not as tangible. So when an article states in $$ amounts how much a SAHM's time is worth, it makes them feel good. Unfortunately, our country looks at everything in terms of $$$$.
I read an article which stated a SAHM wears so many different hats: nanny, teacher, psychologist, chef, housekeeper, taxi driver, accountant, the list could go on and on.....
Whether SAH or working, or a combination of the 2, the most important thing to remember is do whatever makes you the happiest!!! Because
a happy mom is a good mom.
It is a benifit the companies offer. However it isn't so uncommon. If you searched around they aren't hard to find. A lot of smaller companies do not offer benifits such as this.
I work for the federal government - no small employer, in fact, the nation's largest employer. We get 12 weeks unpaid under FMLA only. If you work for a large company with this benefit, then that is a great perk from your employer. My husband used to work for a company that had all sorts of weird benefits, like free sodas all day long and a pinball machine in the break room and stuff. Where my husband currently works, he can take 6 weeks for paternity leave, of which 3 weeks are paid. That's a really nice benefit. What a private company offers in benefits is not relevant to the discussion though.
I'm talking about government benefits, that would be distributed similar to SSI/disability. I have no problem with making them available to fathers too. I think that a fair way to distribute them would be to give X amount of time which could be divided between the parents however they wished. These benefits would only be available to those who had previously paid into the system, the same way as SSI/disability, so career SAHMs would not be eligible. Please take a look at how other countries deal with this. Again, I'm talking about governments, not private companies.
Adventive
You have good ideas. I like the idea of being able to split leave. It sounds like your husband has better maternity benefits than you do. You know if men had the babies you ideas would already be implemented! It would probably bemore like 6-12 months paid leave tho.
Adventive
You have good ideas. I like the idea of being able to split leave. It sounds like your husband has better maternity benefits than you do. You know if men had the babies you ideas would already be implemented! It would probably bemore like 6-12 months paid leave tho.
In Canada they do get 12 months. Also, according to (link) Maternity benefits vary in Europe
In Sweden, Norway and Denmark, women are entitled to as much as 96, 52 and 50 weeks’ paid leave respectively, while those in France (for first and second child), the Netherlands and Spain are only entitled to 16 weeks’ leave. German women get just 14 weeks’ paid leave.
In Eastern Europe, women in the Czech Republic get 28 weeks’ leave, while those in Hungary are entitled to 24 weeks. In Poland, women are allowed 16 weeks’ leave (for first child).
The US is the big stand-out here with $0/0 weeks. Don't you love how they describe that women in Germany get ONLY 14 weeks of paid maternity leave? Yah, but we get a whole 12 weeks of UNpaid leave here in the US... IF we work someplace with more than 50 employees.
In Canada they do get 12 months. Also, according to (link) Maternity benefits vary in Europe
In Sweden, Norway and Denmark, women are entitled to as much as 96, 52 and 50 weeks’ paid leave respectively, while those in France (for first and second child), the Netherlands and Spain are only entitled to 16 weeks’ leave. German women get just 14 weeks’ paid leave.
In Eastern Europe, women in the Czech Republic get 28 weeks’ leave, while those in Hungary are entitled to 24 weeks. In Poland, women are allowed 16 weeks’ leave (for first child).
The US is the big stand-out here with $0/0 weeks. Don't you love how they describe that women in Germany get ONLY 14 weeks of paid maternity leave? Yah, but we get a whole 12 weeks of UNpaid leave here in the US... IF we work someplace with more than 50 employees.
Yes, that's nice. But that's also partly why the economic gap between Europe and the US widens.
Personally, I think the pay should be directly proportional to how often she puts out. After all, we have to think about society's general happiness here.
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