Hellobee Boards

I think it's just part of human nature to sometimes want what you can't have. There are certain days when I miss LO and am jealous of SAHPs, but there are also days when LO is cranky and won't nap and I am so thankful to be at work!

I wish I can SAH! My SIL can totally SAH but she is very successful at what she does and doesn't want to give it up. Meanwhile I can care less about my career and rather SAH but I can't! Drives me nuts!

For the most part, no, I am totally happy being a SAHM. Every once in a while I do get pangs of jealousy about stupid things like, being able to take a break and get a nice coffee, or getting a hair cut on your way home from work without having to schedule it in advance and still stress that DH won't get home early. But I know it's not actually *easier* just different things to juggle.

But like @sorrycharlie: I always knew I wanted to SAH. I liked my job very much but by the end I was ready to be done. And once we paid for child care the money wouldn't make a huge difference anyway.

@Cherrybee: I felt like I was "supposed to" ..you know, you're "supposed" to graduate high school, go to college, get married, blah blah. I put so much pressure on myself to do it "right" because my parents had me young, things were tough but happy, neither went to college. So I felt like I was supposed to do everything the "right" way...so, so stupid. I worried too much about what others thought of me instead of what would make ME happy.

I also thought I wanted to go into that field but thought my degree would allow me to work in schools (doing therapy) but only two states in the US allow my title (Marriage & Family Therapist) to work in schools. I didn't realize that going in, and once I did it was too late.

Yes, yes, yes! I also had a rough maternity leave, but going back to work was like torture for me. I'm totally in a great groove now and have a good gig going. I know I could never be a SAHM, but I am totally jealous of those who are. I think @lawbee11 is right...you always want what you can't have!

I work full time and couldn't imagine anything the other way, I know I would hate staying at home all the time but sometimes when the weather is nice or I don't feel like getting up, I'm jealous of people who get to stay at home all day!

Totally. I really liked being at home for the 5 months if mat leave I had (aside from the BFing struggles, sleeplessness, and the MSPI awfulness but all of that has continued after I went back to work).

I think being at work right now is the best thing for my family, as I have a job I love, amazing health insurance for all 3 of us, and a fairly "easy" job as far as jobs go.

BUT-- while on mat leave, I made friends with a great group of mommy friends and 3/4 of them have decided to SAH for at least a couple years and I totally get jealous of all their fun play dates and coffee dates and mommy fitness classes and baby music classes and baby food making classes-- that all happen during the work day. =(

Honestly, my ideal world would be working 3 days a week but that's not really possible in my field. Boo.

I think it's a "grass is always greener on the other side" mentality. I feel the same way and I am 100% sure that I am not cut out to stay at home.

@Anagram: man, I feel jealous of those classes! Sounds like so much fun.

@Cherrybee: Yes! I love when DH and I are both home and we get to do fun things with M. But if I were home all the time (and not working) we wouldn't have the money for me to take her to activities or the zoo, museum, etc. multiple times a week and I would get so bored being at the house all day.

Oh yeah! I SAH but there are days when I wished I worked & had grown up talk & something to really challenge my mind but I tend to feel overwhelmed easily if I'm overtired or unsure of a decision & I think that stress would multiply if I worked out of home. We all do the things we need to do to be the best parents we can be & in the long run I'm a nicer wife & mommy at home. Plus, I doubt I qualify to get any kind of job that would pay me more than what we would pay for child care.

Not really. I like being a WOHM. My husband makes enough money that I COULD stay at home, so I think it helps that I know I made the choice for myself, rather than having it made for me. There are often times that I lament how hard it is to wear two hats as mama and employee instead of just one because it's hard to juggle everything... but it's the best fit for our family.

I do however get REALLY jealous of people who have family near by. I would love to be able to call in Nana to help out when LO is sick, or hubs and I both have work events in the evening, etc.

@MamaMoose: That makes me jealous too. I wish I had family nearby.

@pinkcupcake: well to be fair, they've definitely tried to include us working mamas, too. We all have a mommy- baby happy hour once a week at 5 pm, plus a "new mom boot camp" fitness class Saturday mornings I go to, and one of the baby food making classes was at night so I went to that.

Buy man, I'd love to take my baby to library story hour, the baby gym, and the park play dates with all of them, too.

Most of them have cleaning ladies and babysitter or family help as well so maybe I'm just envious of the whole lifestyle! Haha.

@Cherrybee: don't feel like a jerk! It goes right back to the grass being greener thing! I mean, along with the family nearby to help comes family nearby to meddle, but I don't think about that when I just want someone to watch c for an hour so I could get my haircut. Like wohms don't think about all the hours inside alone with a baby when they see pictures of play dates outside in a beautiful park.

One thing I love about HB is reading about the good and bad for all sides.