I don't mean this in a bragging way. More of a, am I seriously the only person who doesn't feel guilt over their decision to stay at home or work? I feel like every post I read on here mentions some form of "well we all have guilt, either way".
So, not to disregard anyone else's feelings - but hoping there are others out there who aren't stressing out about it.
blogger / nectarine / 2010 posts
I don't. At first I was a bit insecure about quitting my job to stay home, but we all adjusted.
Go us. 
eggplant / 11824 posts
I don't - but it helps that I got to do what I wanted to do (keep working). If I had had to stay home, for example (since that wasn't what I wanted to do), I think I would definitely feel guilt.
I think that generally, women are told we are supposed to feel guilty; no thanks!
pomegranate / 3768 posts
No guilt here. I work reduced hours at the office and it's working out great!
pomegranate / 3601 posts
I don't have any guilt - I'm really happy being a PT WOHM. And totally grateful that I can work just the way I want to.
honeydew / 7091 posts
I don't feel guilty about WOH, but I do get sad about it sometimes (just because I miss L, not because I feel like I'm harming her by working or anything)
coconut / 8475 posts
No guilt.
I am giving all I can (best I can) in every avenue in my life (parenting, marriage, schooling...).
That is all I can offer, so no need to feel guilty.
grapefruit / 4006 posts
Nope I don't feel guilty at all about being a wohm. Everyone is happier that way.
pomegranate / 3003 posts
I'm a SAHM, for now. I will occasionally grow frustrated due to new financial constraints, or feel out of my element around career SAHMS, but I definitely don't feel guilt.. My role as primary, in-home caretaker will admittedly be temporary, so I just do my best to roll with it. This was a conscious, family decision, so I'm confident everyone is content with the way things are, for the time being.
kiwi / 635 posts
I don't feel guilty about WOH. Our daycare is awesome and I truly feel she is better off in that stimulating and social environment than with me at home. And I personally love my job and thrive on having a balance of baby time and work time. I do have guilt or concerns about certain choices but definitely not about WOH.
grapefruit / 4442 posts
No guilt for us. We have very loving people who take care of our DD and we know living in NYC we have to have two incomes to provide for her.
pomegranate / 3275 posts
I don't feel any guilt about being a SAHM. I don't always love that I'm a SAHM, but I don't feel guilty about it.
pomegranate / 3980 posts
No guilt here! We made the best choice for our family and I love it
grapefruit / 4400 posts
Nope-- being a WAHM is the best for our family. I get up with her in the morning, come out for play and kisses/hugs when I can, eat lunch with her, put her down for her nap, all while being productive in my little office/guest bedroom away from the chaos (and I can close my door when I'm on video calls).
If I ever REALLY need to get away, I can always take my laptop to a coffeeshop that has wifi. No guilt here at all I'll feel guilty when #2 comes next month and my almost 70 year old mother will be watching both of them for 8 hours straight.
wonderful pomelo / 30692 posts
No guilt. I LOVE my job and I think Xander thrives at daycare, much more than he would if he was home all day with one of us. This definitely was the best decision for our family!
(Although I feel guilty the house isn't clean - but that's a separate issue)
eggplant / 11287 posts
I loved WOH and felt ZERO guilt until we had baby number 2.
Now that I have two little ones, WOH is much, much harder and I feel an incredible amount of guilt.
blogger / eggplant / 11551 posts
No guilt here! I think we have a great dynamic in place.
wonderful pear / 26210 posts
It comes and goes. Most days I have no guilt, but we've been having some issues with our daycare and I worry about my son's routine.
pineapple / 12526 posts
Nope. No guilt here. I didn't want to stay home at first, but it don't regret doing it. I also don't regret going back and getting a job.
cantaloupe / 6869 posts
I don't feel guilty about working at all. I just hate that I had to go back to work earlier than I felt ready to. I know eventually I would have been ready and happy to be back but 6 weeks was far too soon.
GOLD / wonderful pea / 17697 posts
Oh gosh. E is starting daycare on Monday and I go back to work a week after that and I've been feeling waves of guilt because I DON'T feel guilty about it!
I was thrilled to stay home with him at first, but then I started feeling guilty because I didn't enjoy being home with him. I can't escape it! I'm trying to shake it off--it'll be a great new chapter for all of us, and I think he and I will both be happy and thrive.
coconut / 8472 posts
No guilt here either. I'm a better mom as a WOH. I'm more patient and more present in the hours I'm with my son. It's also pretty normal here for most moms to work. Maybe because it's an expensive area. In my case I think I'd feel more guilty for choosing to stay at home.
nectarine / 2771 posts
Zero guilt. I'm a pt wohm and I truly believe I have the best of both worlds!
hostess / wonderful watermelon / 39513 posts
Maybe a little the first week or two back at work.
grapefruit / 4997 posts
I have zero guilt about staying at home with baby for a year or longer if we can make it work. I love being her primary care provider and was able to document all of her milestones for DH through pictures and journaling so he didn't feel left out either. Hopefully, I can find a daycare center that I absolutely love when I return back to work because we really need 2 incomes to do all of the things we want.
cantaloupe / 6017 posts
I stay at home and don't feel guilty about it. I'm planning to go back part time, and I don't feel guilty about that, either.
I feel scared about how I will balance it all- but I'm excited for lots of reasons too.
persimmon / 1363 posts
I am a PT WAHM/PT WOHM and I don't full time between the two and I have 0 guilt! I feel like I have a really good balance. I feel somewhat defensive about it because people are really judgey of my short (Canadian wise) mat leave, but, but I don't feel guilty for it.
cantaloupe / 6791 posts
I really WANT to be a SAHM, but it just isn't in the cards right now. That being said, I don't feel guilty about working. My mom watches LO when I'm at work and I love that they both enjoy it so much. My grandmother (who lives with my mom) has so much fun with LO as well and they really look forward to keeping him, so I know that he is being cared for and loved when I'm gone. I've found that I also value the time I do have with him and I'm more "present."
grapefruit / 4997 posts
@lilteacherbee: That is the ideal setup for me! Grandma care would be awesome, my mom is retired and living overseas at the moment but she said she would love to babysit if we have #2.
cantaloupe / 6751 posts
It was definitely scary to quit my job and I had more than a few moments when I second guessed my decision. But now, almost 1.5 years later, I know I made the right decision for us and our family, and I feel no guilt over it.
grapefruit / 4120 posts
I feel guilty about a ton of things parenting related, mostly my lack of patience with my kids, but working is not really up there. In fact, I think I'd feel worse if I stayed home because I'd probably totally lose it.
GOLD / wonderful coffee bean / 18478 posts
I have zero guilt SAH. I am glad you posted this because I have seen some comments along those lines, too, and didn't understand the generalization.
squash / 13764 posts
No guilt in terms of Lo--I think he is really happy staying at home with me. And generally I don't feel guilty regarding him--I know I do the best I can and I think I do a pretty good job as a mama! The only guilt I have is feeling like I'm not using my two degrees as a sahm 
honeydew / 7687 posts
So glad to hear it. Also I don't want to downplay how thankful I am that I have a choice and I know many parents don't!@yoursilverlining: I agree that it's a societal thing but it bothers me more when moms seem to be internalizing that expectation and almost embracing it if that makes sense.
I'm surprised how many people are offering they're not feeling guilt while including defending words about their choice! No one needs to defend or explain themselves in this thread at least!
honeydew / 7687 posts
@hilsy85: I feel a bit conflicted about my identity in terms of enjoying and fulfilling stereotypical housewife duties with a women's studies type background, but the two degrees at home doesn't bother me one bit!
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