Career women vs. Stay-at-home mothers: Which is better? Part 2

Stay-at-Home Moms

Last week we looked at the pros and cons of being a professional woman. This week we will examine the same for stay-at-home mothers.

The decision to stay at home can be a very difficult one for some women, but for other women it does not take much thought. It’s not uncommon for professional women with the financial means to decide to stay at home after having children. Unfortunately, staying at home is not a choice for many mothers who may be divorced, widowed or single by choice or circumstances. For those who do decide to stay at home, that comes with its own challenges and advantages. Let’s look at a few.{{more}}

Pros

1. Pure joy. When your primary job is to be a mother, there can be no greater joy for some women. Stay-at-home mothers who do so by choice and plan for this phase in their life understand the importance of giving their all in shaping the young lives before them. They see everything from the first step to the first word and that is priceless.

2. Enhanced learning. The arrangement is supposed to make mothers completely available for the development of the child, and many begin a variety of at-home teaching lessons and field trips long before the child actually starts school.

3. Financial savings. For families with multiple children, having a parent stay at home might actually be cheaper than daycare when the children are very young.

4. Less Stress. Passing along the responsibility to care for your child can be a stressful decision. Many parents who do decide to stay at home eliminate the anxiety that can come when they are concerned for the safety and well-being of their child when they are being cared for outside the home.

Cons

1. Lack of interest. Women who become stay-at-home mothers by chance may not see the value of being at home with the children. Even though they are at home, it’s more of a burden than a joy and that can often result in less than desirable situations for the children.

2. Lack of adult time. Stay-at-home mothers often mourn the lack of adult company and feel cut off from their professional life. Some see their life as being reduced to a mountain of diapers and baby talk, and that can be very depressing and stressful, especially when there is little support from a partner.

3. Financial sacrifice. For many families, a stay-at-home parent can mean that the family must forego a few luxuries in order to afford the choice they made. This can be especially difficult for couples with active social lives that may have included travel and entertainment on a regular basis before the children came along.

4. Career Stagnation. Women who choose to stay at home find it very difficult to transition back into the workforce after they have been out for many years. Their skills and network by then are usually outdated or non-existent.

Whether you choose to be a stay-at-home mother or juggle the responsibilities of work and motherhood, the choice is up to each individual woman and her family. Each role comes with its own set of advantages and disadvantages, but at the end of the day children need quality and quantity time with parents and parents need to be fulfilled.

Karen Hinds is “The Workplace Success Expert.” For a FREE SPECIAL REPORT on Avoiding Career Killers in the Workplace, send an email to info@workplacesuccess.com

Visit online at www.workplacesuccess.com