The Community for Catholic Moms

Why do you want to be a work at home mom?

I have been thinking about this lately, well to really be honest, for a long time. Of course, the instant and easy answer is money. It is a very valid reason, but for a lot of us, it goes deeper than that, in my opinion. If we were really honest, are there ways we can live on one income? I promise you that there are ways, we did that for quite awhile. We were successfully living on one income through budgeting, sacrifice, simple living etc. All the while that I was an expert at stretching those dollars, in my mind I was battling with the urge to work and earn income. I think think that it is no exaggeration to call it a battle. After all, I had grown up preparing for a career, I worked hard in school, spent money and got the coveted college degree which was proof to society that I was successful. Then I got married, was advised not to start a family right away by so many of my friends,"I should work and get established in my career". Then I did the unimaginable, I got pregnant shortly after getting married. Almost immediately, my friends and coworkers started talking about making plans to find quality daycare.I had no interest in day care advice, and when the fateful day came that I announced I was going to be a stay at home mom, my world dramatically changed.In the minds of friends and coworkers, pregnancy had made me delusional, I guess that was just a side affect of nine months nausea.

Somewhere along the way, society has decided that the most important privilege women are gifted with by our Father, has been downgraded to marginal. Yep, motherhood is a synonym for mindless, boring,untalented and maybe even incapable. If we decide all the stuff the Jones have is not worth trading time with our children, in societies mind, we are copouts. Don't agree, did you ever go into a room with a group of professional women and when the inevitable question arises "so, what do you do" - your answer ends the conversation. We have been widely criticized for trading careers for playgroups.

The profession of motherhood and fatherhood are the only two careers where the people who fill the position are irreplaceable.Stay at home moms need to band together to restore the dignity to the most valuable career on the planet. It has to take first place on the priority list.

That said, choosing or needing to work at home takes second place. So what am I trying to say, time is limited, so don't waste any of it doing something that rewards you for too little compensation. Take time and do the due diligence, chose to do something you are excited about and proud to do, make it a good fit for you and your family. Let's have the discussion, what do you think?

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Christina Weber on February 26, 2010 at 8:29pm

For me, I never thought that I would want to work at home. I got the college degree and worked for a while but then was so happy to be married and start a family and supposedly leave work behind! As a mother and homemaker I have never worked so hard in my life and have really had to learn alot as to parenting and efficiently running a home that is safe and clean! That being said with motherhood and marriage being my vocation I still know that there are talents that God has given me that I want to use and ways in which I want to be active in the community in which I live that have organically evolved from my being at home as a wife and mother. I know that I don't really feel called to a job per se or even have the hours and emotional energy to commit to something like that but I do feel that I can spend several hours a week working on something that is creative and that I feel can get me out in the community. And if that can also generate a small income that would be great too! I think it is good to have a presence in the community in which you live and to interact in some way. I also think it's great to do this as moms so that the community can see that moms aren't just stuck in their home all day. Around here alot of the moms craft or run farmers markets in season and the kids come along too and our area has alot of respect for that.

Working at home implies that I can set my hours and commitments based on what my family life needs and on what I feel called to do. I know that it might not look like alot to "professionals" but I will know that I am using the talents I have been given and developing them to the fullest. And that this will look very different at different stages of my mothering and marriage. I love that working at home for me can be very flexible.

Permalink Reply by Atara on April 9, 2011 at 8:19am

I like that on my breaks I can do what I want. I can pop in a load of laundry, put dinner in the crockpot, get up early in the morning and do extra work so I'm done later...

I like running my own show and setting my hours.

Permalink Reply by Atara on April 9, 2011 at 8:20am

Oh - to add:

Even though I work from home my child still goes to childcare during the day. I do not work around him toddling here and there. I tried it and almost ended up in the looney bin. We cannot afford a sitter for one child. Just to be clear - I work from home, but it's like a regular job in that sense.

However, when he is older, I am glad to know he can come home from school and I will be here!!

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