Sahms...

HAHA I wouldn't know. We homeschool. My days are filled with my children, which is exactly how I want them to be. And so do they! We have a great time together. Mine are 19-5. Starting my baby in K this year. Now, there is a milestone for me. The beginning of the end. Sort of makes me sad. But I have 13 more years to go!

You will be busier than you realize!
I did work part time for a few years but I felt so stretched with all the school activities, sports, lessons, the constant driving three kids around that my part time job was no longer worth it. I also really enjoyed volunteering in school and scouts which can take a lot of time if you let it.
Now with my oldest heading off to college and my middle child about to get her drivers license I am starting to think about working again. But my skills are so outdated I am going to need to take some professional classes first.
But you know everyone is different. I think women who enjoy domestic hobbies, like sewing or home improvement, are much more content to not work outside the home. I miss being around other adults (besides my fellow mom friends) which is what is motivating me to work again!

You will be surprised with what you can do with a little mom time. I bake, sew, tend a garden. I have a part-time job delivering lunches for a caterer. I would like more of a full time job but I know that with my out dated skills and kids' tendencies to get sick at some point (my youngest also has a medical issue that I am the one who takes him to appointments, etc…) it isn't going to happen right now.

I do volunteer at the school, I drive field trips and actually read more than 1 page in a book at a time.

I workout every morning and straighten the house. I do volunteer at school but I cut back some last year because it was cramping my style:0). Haha but true! I take a painting class on Fridays and I really got into making stained glass windows and mosaics. I also read quite a bit. I usually have one lunch date per week with other friends that are also SAHM. I also frequently visit with my husband's aunt who lives in an assisted living facility. I also tend to shop a lot, my kids always seem to need something for either a birthday party or recital etc... I was very worried about how I would spend my days when my youngest went to school but it has not been a problem.

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Not sure I have a few more years yet to send baby off to school my 4 yr old will begin kindergarten in 2012 then my baby will begin preschool.Maybe i'll catch up on caring for myself.

Work-out, clean the house without interruptions, grocery shop and get all those little errands that would be h*** o* the both of us with all that getting in and out of the carseat business.

my little one starts school in a month. i just applied at www.liveops.com. my SIL works for them. it's a home based incoming call taking business. i also reapplied at westathome. i used to work for them, but it's hard to get with them. i volunteer at the school once a week, and then as needed for special events in the class room. i go on all field trips. i do grocery shopping during the week without them, and also clean the house without them here. i have a computer game hobby :). and i also exercise in the mornings, so i don't have to take the time away from them after they get out of school.

I have an only child and when she started K I was at the school volunteering a lot. I loved volunteering and I still do now that she is 16.

I ended up becoming a substitute teacher at her elementary school only because the principal asked me to. I've subbed since 2000 there and love every minute of it.

I have been Booster club President for cheer, currently booster club secretary for cheer, actively fundraising, etc.

I also work from home with the company hubby and I own together in consulting and raw materials.

I just have 1 child and my days are full.

I will start working part time when my youngest goes to school! I will work only the hours the kids are in school...maybe 4 days a week so that one extra day I can grocery shop and run errands. Another great thing you can do is take classes. Work on a degree...slowly. Learn something new and exciting!

I asked myself this 2 years ago and now my kid is starting K in Sept! Plan now...it goes fast.

I'm going back to work. I'm substitute teaching b/c I have a degree but not in teaching, and I'm not certified. Crazy, isn't it? The hours are good and I can pick what day/school I want to work.

Good luck to you!

Well my husband is older than I am, and I don't want him to have the pressure of having to provide for all our stuff, his retirement, my retirement, AND all the extra living expenses for my day to day since I'm younger than him. We have no debt except our mortgage, and that will be paid off by the time he retires, and the retirement stuff kicks in, etc.....But I want a decent job to take care of our day to day "stuff" for the years that I could work in between, ya know? So I've started taking steps to act out my plan already, though my sons are 4 years old and 20 months old. RIght now I'm a sahm and loving it. But I'm about to move to part time work. My oldest LOVES his 3 day a week daycare (pre-K) and goes for social reasons and because he just really wants to. My youngest has been crying everytime we pick up or drop off his brother, because he wants to stay and play too. He LOVES the "social scene" too, and I think it's good for him. But it'd be stupid (imo) for me to have both boys at school while I stay home. SO I found a part time job and am about to start working there, on the days/hours that the boys will be at "school" (daycare), and half days (after church) on Sundays. The weekdays that the boys are home and Saturdays, I'm still M.. I've also picked up a few books from the library and have begun reviewing and refreshing my mind on school stuff that I've not used in 17 years, while waiting for my in-state residency to go through in November. I will start school in January! The boys will do their daycare program around my class schedule and vice versa---we will make it work. I'll do more school the older the boys get and the more they are in their own school. I will complete college and begin working once they are in school full time. I will still be involved and taking them to kung fu and soccer (or whatever); it can work, I've seen it work with many working moms. I have the advantage of getting things ready now, and easing into it where many moms have no choice but to just work full time. We'll make it work, and I'm excited about it. However, I'm in a position that we don't "need" my income so to speak, we want to live off 1 income and save the other, so I won't be forced to work crazy hours that will have me missing out on the boys' lives. That's our priority, and we aren't going to change our lifestyle or expenses just because I'll be bringing in some money. In fact, we've already allocated what percentage of the extra income (small as it is now) will go and continue to go. I'm actually quite excited about it. I don't judge others (generally) on whether they work or not when their children are in school, but for ME and MY situation, it makes sense to go to school, be in the workforce, and get a better job years from now that can help provide our daily needs once my husband retires later. It takes planning and preparation to get there though, and thank goodness my husband has a good enough job to provide for us while the boys are growing up and I'm preparing with no pressure.

I think that when all of my kid's are back in school and going full day then I would probably hit the book's and try to finish getting my RN. I went back when my youngest was 6 month's and i took night classes and boy was it difficult! So I took a break and am choosing to put my children first. Now our 3 an ahalf year old daughter will be in preschool this year (for social skills) and she'll be at school for 2 an ahlaf hours two days a week so that'll give just enough time to do some grocery shopping or even some house work...Hopefully!

Well, having them in school (mine is 8) still require a shorter 'work' day if you return to work and depending on your career, sometimes that is possible, sometimes it is not....then there are the summers.
Actually I work 2 days per week, but during the school year, someone needs to be there when they get home. Luckily my husband is home by 3 (except when he travels) so it works out for us. Then I have most of the week to cook, clean, walk, volunteer, organize, etc....

I've been home for 4.5 years. My daughter starts pre-k in the fall. Her pre-k is only 3 hours a day, so I don't plan on doing anything this fall other than errands, cleaning and maybe starting dinner while she is in school. However, when she goes to kindergarten in 2012, then I will look for a part-time job. I'm really ready and excited to go back to work. Not only am I looking forward to the mental stimulation of working, but also the extra money will be nice too!

I grew up with my Mother being a stay at home mom/homemaker my entire life...even while we all were in school. I loved the feeling of my mother being available whenever I needed her. I loved having her take me to school and being there when I got home. So it was only natural for me to want to follow in her footsteps. However, DH and I decided a long time ago that I would go back to work once all kids are in school full time (this August). I would go back so that I could help contribute financially so that we can save up for a new house. I don't really have to, but, since we're growing out of the house we're in now quickly, the sooner we move the better...and the fastest way to make that happen is for me to work.

Problem is...I don't want to work. I don't want to do anything else other than things that are related to "Homemaking". I really enjoy taking care of my home. My favorite thing to do, other than taking care of my children, is to clean. So I thought, if I have to go back to work, I might as well do something I enjoy doing...CLEAN. So that's my current plan and goal. Once my daughter goes to school in August, I'll be focusing on finding people who need a housecleaner. I already have a couple of people lined up and am excited to find more.

It's really going to be perfect for me. I can make my own hours, I'll be doing something I love, and most important, I'll be available for my children before and after school.

My son started full day K last year. The school day is 7:45am to 2:25pm - He gets on the bus at 6:55am and dropped off at 2:42pm. That said...I trained for a triathlon last year so worked out 6 days a week. I've tackled a few home improvement projects. I volunteered at the school - Curriculum Room Rep, which kept me busy. We got a puppy about 6 months ago who is now almost 7 months so there was/is puppy training. My husband travels so I had looked into part-time work before moving and then with the move I put it on hold. You'd be surprised how quickly the time flies.

Our situations are very different as I have an only child. But I have been a SAHM since she was born. When she started full-day kindergarten 2 years ago, I didn't know what I was going to do with myself. (Never mind that sending my precious 5-year-old off to full-day school was heart-wrenching, and it was January that year before I stopped feeling a lump in my throat as I watched her walk thru the school doors!)

Anyway, I've been pleasantly surprised to find out that there is LOTS to keep me busy day to day during the school year related to "homemaking." In fact, I've come to enjoy planning out my work schedule for the day without having to consider feeding times and entertainment for my dear daughter. Also, there have been multiple school volunteering opportunities I've been able to freely participate in.

I also noticed, at least with an elementary age child, how inconvenient it would be to have a job, but then have to be there for your child on sick days, snow days, early closings, late openings, etc. I'd much rather "be there" for my child.

Speaking of being there, I don't think enough is said of the benefits for child when Mom is simply available. Drop-off, pick-up, help with homework. Hugs after school. Maybe I'm a sap, but I think it's good for my daughter right now, and I'm grateful that our home situation allows it. Not all moms are fortunate enough to choose to be SAHM.

I think I am going to take up a couple of long lost hobbies!

;)

Actually, I am hoping to do a little substitute teaching.
I am not looking for a career, or even a part time job. We live on a working farm, and there is enough to do around here, but I am confident that I could balance a few days (a week, maybe even only a month).

My youngest will be 2 in Sept, so I have a few years. As they start school, I am slowly dwindling down how many children are in the home, and hope that I can pick up some of my favorite pre children activities, mainly sewing.

I can't wait!
:)
KATIE