https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Fri, 17 Apr 2026 02:30:59 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/woh-to-sah#post-2800546 Mon, 29 Jan 2018 12:45:17 +0000 helloperidot 2800546@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I became a SAHM when DD1 was 18 months old. At first I struggled, mainly because I didn't quite know how to define "job well done" in my new SAH life! I ended up overscheduling activities and it was a mess. What ended up working really well for me was a paper planner (I use a bullet journal) and dedicating certain days to certain activities. </p> <p>So, Monday would be groceries and housecleaning, Tuesday's and Thursdays would be swim time at the local pool, Wednesdays were free for library or playdates, and Fridays I tried to make a little "field trip" day to explore, so we would go to the zoo or the children's museum or something like that. That left weekends for family time.</p> <p>I'll be honest here, I'm a raging introvert so more often than not we stayed home on Wednesdays and our Friday field trip was to Target. Now that DD1 is older we have preschool on Tues/Thurs and dance class Sat mornings, and it feels like a lot (especially now that DD2 is in the mix). Im finally getting better about asking for some "me" only time so I can recharge.</p> <p>However. I would NEVER go back to WOH. My kudos to all parents who do. I had a pretty solid career in higher ed and enjoyed what I did in the working world, but it took becoming a SAHM for me to realize that being SAH is what I really want to do. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/woh-to-sah#post-2800511 Mon, 29 Jan 2018 11:20:14 +0000 LadyDi 2800511@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>No advice, just following. I am likely going to SAH after my 2nd is born (this week!) and I am a little anxious about it. Mostly because I am an introvert and I know I will need to schedule my days or else I will probably never leave the house. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/woh-to-sah#post-2800473 Mon, 29 Jan 2018 09:36:47 +0000 arosebyany 2800473@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@polkaspots: he's autistic :happy:, I also wanted to say in the beginning I felt a lot like another poster. I really resented my DH for getting to go to work, but the older DS got the better that feeling got. I am most certainly NOT a baby person lol. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/woh-to-sah#post-2800390 Sun, 28 Jan 2018 17:49:53 +0000 Chuckles 2800390@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@polkaspots: Not exactly the same, but I started out mostly staying at home and WOH about 10 hours a week. My son was seeing multiple therapists at the time through EI. I don't know how I could have worked full time out of the house and still juggled all his appointments. Logistically, it seemed necessary, but also I loved that I could be there for all the sessions to have a great sense of what he was doing. I'm sure in that way, a switch for you will be really great. The main thing I found helpful, when mostly staying at home, was to find a group of SAHMs in the neighborhood to meet up with casually at parks, coffee shops, whatever. Once I found my group, I loved staying at home. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/woh-to-sah#post-2800364 Sun, 28 Jan 2018 13:18:20 +0000 Modern Daisy 2800364@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I WOH so take this with a grain of salt but I would say that the “rule” should be that the kids are your job during your DH’s working hours but anything outside of that is 50/50. This is basically the only reason I’ve never taken the plunge to SAH even though we can afford it. I’m too afraid of having the kids become “my job” 100% of the time while my DH gets to go out after work and on the weekends, etc. I know it’s more useful to have someone stay home while they are little, but I would only consider it when they are both in school full time so at least I know I’d get a break occasionally on days when school isn’t closed for rain or wind or whatever. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/woh-to-sah#post-2800361 Sun, 28 Jan 2018 13:08:44 +0000 2littlepumpkins 2800361@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I think you just need to think about what your personal needs are as far as career and interactions etc. I don't like mommy groups and therefore have a hard time SAH. (Adding: in fact the adults in my life are probably at lest 50/50 childfree.) I find WOH easier but had to stop and go pt for what was best for our family overall. I have to really talk myself down sometimes from being resentful of Dh when he "gets to" go to work. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/woh-to-sah#post-2800358 Sun, 28 Jan 2018 12:18:20 +0000 polkaspots 2800358@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@arosebyany: I don’t think there are many options for Mother’s Day Out, but with the ILs close, they’ll definitely help out. My MIL provides grandmacare for my nephews, so if I wanted to drop my kiddos off for a few hours a couple times a month, I think she’d be okay with it! </p> <p>What kind of special needs does your son have? I’m looking forward to more flexibility to be more involved with my son’s specialists, therapy, and school activities. We’ve been very lucky this year to have gotten an amazing teacher and he’s truly thriving with the IEP we have in place, but it’s hard to juggle it all! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/woh-to-sah#post-2800337 Sun, 28 Jan 2018 09:22:24 +0000 arosebyany 2800337@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@polkaspots: I SAH, before DS I worked a 50hr a week salaried job, it was a huge adjustment. That being said it is so much easier not having to be on a strict scheduale. Ds is also special needs also :happy: and staying at home has made that aspect (therapies, dr appt.) easier. Unfortunately I live in a tiny area, so if there is a mothers group I can't find it. We do make sure not to go any longer than 2 days with out getting out the house. We live on acres so we spend a lot of time just running around the yard lol. My husband works like 60 plus hours a week and I was starting to struggle with never having any alone time, so I put DS in a Mother's Day out program twice a week. It realllly helped with my sanity and DS gets to socialize. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/woh-to-sah#post-2800335 Sun, 28 Jan 2018 09:05:34 +0000 polkaspots 2800335@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@caitcat: that drowning feeling is what’s led us down this path. While I’m nervous about such a huge change, I’m hopeful that we’ll all ultimately be happier without the constant stressors of juggling two kids, two jobs, specialists, therapists, school commitments, household chores, etc. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/woh-to-sah#post-2800334 Sun, 28 Jan 2018 09:03:52 +0000 polkaspots 2800334@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@youboots: thankfully, being closer to family, I think we’ll each be able to have more self-care time—we’re really excited about the prospect of actually having date nights too! We haven’t had a date night since I was pregnant with our first! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/woh-to-sah#post-2800333 Sun, 28 Jan 2018 09:02:31 +0000 polkaspots 2800333@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@looch: that’s a good way to think of it. With each of my children’s (4.5 and 17m) maternity leaves, I sought to leave the house each day, whether it be for errands or fun. I remember that being really helpful for my sanity. I also joined several playgroups (I have a child with special needs so finding that tribe was wonderful). I’m not sure what will be available in the new area, it’s significantly smaller, but I’m sure getting out of the house each day will be doable! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/woh-to-sah#post-2800326 Sun, 28 Jan 2018 07:11:54 +0000 looch 2800326@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>The best advice, which I didn't take to my downfall, was to treat staying at home like a job. Schedule your days and aim to get out of the house regularly. Find your tribe, don't try to do it alone.</p> <p>I stayed home from my son's birth until he was 2, I left a corporate office job. My only advice upon returning is that in some careers, you really can't be out too long, no more than 2 years without looking irrelevant, but companies are starting to modernize and might have career comeback programs that will allow you to ease back in. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/woh-to-sah#post-2800235 Sat, 27 Jan 2018 16:28:39 +0000 youboots 2800235@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>So I have worked at home since 2012 but I closed my business to SAH and now I’m back to WAH but only 10-15 hours a week.</p> <p>Some things that are great for SAH- meet other moms- have play dates. I go to MOPS DD has dance and in the past we went to library story hour a lot. We usually have an activity before nap-for me that’s childcare for 4 hours 3 days a week, dance class and a play date on our one free day. Then a PM activity- art projects, a walk or a local play date.</p> <p>Bring a SAH parent is tough. I vote you take 4 hours on the weekend to run errands and have another chunk for self care or grabbing lunch with a friend- let your DH entertain the kids.</p> <p>I rarely run errands with DD and utilize click list for groceries. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/woh-to-sah#post-2800234 Sat, 27 Jan 2018 16:02:47 +0000 caitcat 2800234@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I went back to work until my older daughter was about a year and a half old, and then became a stay at home mom. I've been home for about a year and a half - she is now three, and we have a nine month old daughter too. I love being home with them. For us, it was absolutely the right decision for me to be home now - but it's taken some adjusting financially and otherwise. Here are some of our ups and downs: </p> <p>Ups: Our morning routine is SO much easier than when I worked. I worked in a high school, and my husband was in a carpool that left early too. We were all out of the house by 6:15. Our mornings are a lot simpler now. During the day, I take care of errands more easily to free up some of our weekend time (I mean, as easy as carting kids around on errands ever is?). We make it to the park, library, play dates, etc. a lot. Our evenings feel calmer too. There isn't a rush to fit things in at that point in the day. My husband commented about a month into me being home that he felt like we just finally caught our breath. </p> <p>Downs: Financially, it took some adjusting for me to stay home. But, the cost of putting a second baby in daycare was going to do that for us too. I ended up finding part-time work that I can do remotely, from home to help balance that a bit. It means I get up a few hours before everyone else to work early mornings and usually spend naptime working too. So, that's a bit much some days. It felt more doable with one kid at home, but with two it's been more challenging to balance. Also, winter feels tougher for some reason to be home all day with the kids. In the nicer weather, it was great to take the kids to the park or even just outside in the yard. In the cold, some days can feel pretty isolating. </p> <p>Recently I've finally connected with more "mom friends" who are also home, and having a better sense of community makes a world of difference on the good days and tougher ones. I wish I'd made more of an effort sooner when I started staying home because I hadn't realized how much I missed - and needed - that. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/woh-to-sah#post-2800204 Sat, 27 Jan 2018 13:15:42 +0000 polkaspots 2800204@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I’ve always worked, but we’re contemplating a move to a smaller town with fewer professional opportunities for me. We’re wanting to be closer to family before we have a third child, and my husband suggested I SAH until the kids are in school.</p> <p>The idea of staying at home with the kids sounds fun...until the weekend rolls around and we’re all at home and kind of bored! I’m nervous about such a big change!</p> <p>Has anyone gone from WOH to SAH? How did it go? I’d love to hear all about it! </p>