I don't know how she does it! But she says she wouldn't trade it for anything. We take great pride in being able to take responsibility (for better or worse) for raising our own kids. We couldn't imagine shipping them off to day care every day just so we could have that second income to make the BMW lease payment.
Anyone who says that they can't afford to have one parent stay-at-home is just not willing to make the sacrifices for their children. Like us, they might have to live with hand-me-down living room furniture, or forgo they weekly trip to the movies or out to dinner, or even get a second part-time job. I did break down and buy her a minivan recently (it nice to have the room!) but only because we had the extra money. If we really had to we could go down to one car thus saving a lot more money. Granted it would be inconvenient, but if we had to do it we could.
Anyone contemplating staying at home with a current or future child, by all means do it. It's amazing all that I miss out on during the day. Mrs.Lone is there to experience it all, which has been trying lately, but rewarding nonetheless. Plus you can raise your kids they way they are supposed to be raised. By their parents.
I'll agree with you if you change the words "Anyone who says" to most "Most people who say."
FEMALE (the precursor to Moms and More) was wonderful for me. I recommend it. It was a great organization for moms. I learned all sorts of things and got hooked into the local mommy network. We had meetings in our homes, play groups for the kids, and a night out once a month.
We exchanged tips on financing, child rearing, churches, schools, babysitting, how to handle mother-in-laws, you name it. Being home alone with a new baby can be a pretty scarey thing--especially in a society that demeans motherhood. FEMALE helped to reinforce the conviction that being home was the right place to be.
If you must have a big house, new cars, and expensive clothes, then you probably can’t afford to stay home. If you put your kid first, then you can’t afford not to stay home.
I originally planned to stay home just until the kid got old enough for school. But I’ve learned that the older she gets, the more I need to be here. I wish parents had a clue about what their kids do while they’re at work. There are two classes of unparented kids around here (a nice neighborhood)--the kids who roam the streets and the kids who are terrified if the phone rings. My daughter’s best friend can’t play with her after school because she is locked in the house and can’t answer the door or the phone. Then there are the kids who roam and look for things to get into. Of course, having a mom at home, doesn’t guarantee good parenting. There’s an at-home mom down the street who just lets her kids wander. She has five, and they go where they please as soon as they are able to walk.
And don’t even get me started on working moms who think that because you stay at home you are available to babysit. I’ve had perfect strangers ask me to watch their kids--bacause they have to work! I have two degrees and I freelance from home now, but I’m here for my kid, not theirs. I’m afraid I’ve gotten to the point where I’m not polite anymore. /end of rant. sigh…