Not to exclude anyone. 
What's your favorite perk of being a sah parent, right this second?
With nicer weather on their way here in the East Coast, I'm definitely going to miss our daily walks while I was home with the girls!
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Not having to get up and out the door first thing in the morning is a big one! Today we don't have any plans and the baby woke up at 4:45 to nurse, then before I could fall back asleep the toddler woke up calling for me to come into her room, so I've been up ever since. Glad I can at least not have to start getting in the shower and out the door.
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Since I'm on modified bedrest and on medical leave from my teaching job, I'm a temporary SAHM! I love getting to sleep in and not have rushing mornings. In general I'm more relaxed about our schedule. I also get to nap when DS naps everyday! Pretty sweet!
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The biggest perk for me was not being on a set schedule. I didn't have to worry about getting to bed at a certain time because I had to wake up early in the morning, I could run errands during the week so the weekends were truly family centered.
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I'm on maternity leave now, for a year, so I guess I'm a SAHM. Right now, I'm enjoying not having to rush in the mornings, being able to do laundry during the day, and getting to eat a proper meal at lunchtime.
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Yesterday I took the kids to vote in the primary at 10 am. No line at all and we got 3 stickers! There were hour+ lines to vote before and after work.
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I really enjoy my meal times. I like that on most days my breakfast can be as simple.or as complicated as I want. If I want to cook something special for lunch I can, no problem. I really enjoy that. Especially with a finicky first trimester stomach, it's nice to have lots of options here at home instead of not being able to eat what I brought to work and having to spend extra to get something that will work for me. Also, I like my kids. My 2 year old is funny and she makes me laugh all day.
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Not having to get the kids dressed and out the door in the morning! I'm going to miss that when they're both in day care...
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Definitely not being on a schedule in the morning. We always try to have a morning outing - even if it's just to the backyard, but it's not a rush.
Also, DH works crazy hours that change every month. I'm trying to appreciate that staying at home means that when he has time off, we can all be together as a family, instead of having to deal with a separate work schedule as well.
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I got up at nine today.
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Being able to go to parks and grocery shopping at non-peak hours.
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Flexibility, day classes, QT with the whole family...we had different days off when I worked.
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@JerricaBenton: this! I hate going places when they are busy now.
And getting to sit outside in the sun while my kid plays.
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@brownepiano: I know. Every once in a while I have to run to the store on the weekends and I'm like 'oh the humanity!' Lol
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Wearing pants without zippers.
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I'm not a SAH mom but I am so envious of easy going mornings, midweek errand running and sunny warm days at the park!
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@oliviaoblivia: Big sis got up at 11am today! She's been skipping naps so I just let her sleep.
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@deerylou: with you on that
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I'm not a SAHM, but I am home with my kid a couple of days this week. I appreciate not having to get up super early today when she was up all night with pain from HFM. It was nice to be able to take her outside for an hour this morning and not have to rush because the sun was going down. I really like being able to go with her flow rather than cramming everything in on the weekends.
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Today my favorite thing is getting to sleep when the baby sleeps! So what if she's 17 months! Usually my answer is lots of fresh air and time to hang out with friends.
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I love the flexibility of our schedule/days.
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I work 3 days a week, so I get a mix of SAH and WOH.
On my SAH days, its great because we can have a leisurely breakfast together without keeping an eye on the clock and DS is a slooooow eater. The days I have to do daycare dropoff before work, I have to get up early and I have to get DS up 30 minutes earlier than usual so I can get to work on time. You can't exactly rush an 18 month old to eat quickly and days like this morning, I was 20 minutes late to the office because my kid was moving like molasses.
Also, we pretty much stay in PJs all day. The both of us. Its great. Which coincides with the fact that mommy gets a nap when toddler naps too.
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I love that there is no set schedule for our day unless I make plans.
@deerylou: yes to that!!!
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I just love being with my kids and not missing any of the big milestones.
And actually getting to enjoy spring and summer outside.
Other less glamorous perks like doing errands and doctor's appointments and planning to drive places during non-peak times. Being able to keep up with laundry and other household stuff without wasting time on the weekends. -
So many perks of being a SAHP! The perks definitely shift and change as LO gets older
-don't have to pay for daycare/nanny
-getting shopping/errands done during non peak hours
-very flexible schedule - basically I'm my own boss
and can get things done on my timeline. It's up to me to be productive and be busy but if I need to it's pretty easy to schedule in "me time" to cultivate my own interests, work out, etc
-I don't have coworkers but I am so lucky to have a large community of friends who also SAH or WAH so it's easy to get together for lunch, coffee, play dates, shopping dates, etc. I don't get to head to happy hour with coworkers BUT my friends and I do have wine nights or late night dinner dates every few weeks after the kiddos are in bed -
-Getting to wear pjs whenever you
-Groceries/shopping at non-peak times
-No commute -
@Boogs: no commute!!! How could I forget - that's the worst and I don't miss it ever!
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Napping! LO had a bad night so I slept with her for her nap this morning and feel much better.
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@sandy: I know! At the worst, my commute was 1 hour each way! I will do anything to never have to do that again.
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@gingerbebe: ditto to all of this! I work three days a week and they are evenings, so I basically get the best of both worlds. Leisurely mornings, napping with my son, and going places when it's less crowded!
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There are so many perks! But #1 will always be so much time with my LO. The days are long but the years are short. Today we went to an Easter Egg hunt with our play group.
I love that every day is up to us and I just get to focus on her.
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Spending time with miss G... watching her grow, getting to really work with her on her speech issues. Also, extended PJ time of a morning!
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Watching my crazy little guys grow and meet different goals. I love seeing them together. Life is crazy as a stay at home parent, who solo parents 90% or more of my week but for now I am soaking up the crazy.
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@sandy: yes! I am always so thankful that I don't have to feel like I'm rushing or "wasting" time when I work out. I also prefer mid-afternoon workouts so it's nice that I get to do it on my own time instead of whenever I can fit it in. Defining of my favorite perks!
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I love being able to go on walks with Little Miss. Also, I love being able to see every little milestone.
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Flexible schedule, anytime snacking ;), not having to book time off for appointments or cram shopping in after work. Getting to watch the kids hit all sorts of fun milestones, and getting to participate in things like mom and baby swim classes, etc.
I return to work in either June or September, so I'll be soaking up the perks while I can! -
Sleeping in and a flexible schedule.
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Grocery shopping during the week, staying in pjs all day, being able to nap when baby naps (I don't know how working moms function with a newborn. Mad props to you guys!!!), cooking good dinners most nights, taking care of errands & cleaning during the week.
So many good things. I feel so lucky to be able to stay at home!! -
I'm jealous of everyone getting to sleep in. I WANT THAT!!!
And @oliviaoblivia:, given your line-up of girls, this is one of the most amazing things I've heard. Share your secrets.I work M-T, but I can pick her up most days around 3:30-4 and have Fridays off. I love being able to follow her lead with naps. It's so hard for me when I can tell she's ready to go to sleep, but I have to keep her up for daycare. She also doesn't always sleep well there, and that can be frustrating.
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@deerylou:
@Kimberlybee:
That has literally never ever happened in this house. Ever.
and can get things done on my timeline. It's up to me to be productive and be busy but if I need to it's pretty easy to schedule in "me time" to cultivate my own interests, work out, etc
I love that every day is up to us and I just get to focus on her.
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