Hellobee Boards

I'll admit, I've seen SAHMs post fun pictures of things they are doing on weekdays and been jealous. But it's not because I think they are just relaxing and hanging out like they are on spring break-- I know it's a lot of work-- it's because I would much prefer the work of bringing my child to a new and interesting place and getting to experience it with them than do whatever mundane task I was distracting myself from by Facebooking at work. Hopefully my massive run-on sentence makes sense! I'll be a SAHM next year and am looking forward to those kinds of things, but not because I think it will be easy!

@Foodnerd81: Ditto. I'd rather be frustrated corralling LO any day of the week over being bored and/or stressed out at work.

I never comment on pictures with things that are jealous/nasty though. I just keep the thoughts to myself

I work from home (family business) and friends already think I don't do anything... so who knows what they'll think when LO arrives and I'll become a SAHM?

I will be curious to see what happens when I have my own little ones, when I tell people I am a nanny they often react in a way that suggests it must be the hardest job ever- I get a full nights sleep though and go home at the end of the day (don't get me wrong, sometimes it is hard but mostly I love it enough to ignore the hard parts )

I can see being jealous that your office for the day was the beach! Not saying it wasn't work but it's nice that a SAHM can have a change of scenery? I like what @looch said, too.

I've only gotten those comments from people who don't have children. The ones that do know how hard it is to be a parent - working in or outside the home. Recently, I had a friend make a comment that she wishes she could stay home so she could take naps like me. Same friend and her DH also offered to babysit, and when we proposed a night said they couldn't after all because they hadn't had a date night that week, and they're "sure we would understand." We had had one date in 7 months.

@artbee: when i see SAHM's, even with their cute beach/pool pictures... i still think, "how on earth do you do it?? i could NEVER do what you do!"

@looch: agree w/everything you said.

I am a SAHM and I think I have it infinitely easier than WOHMs. I have the flexibility to do what I want during the day. I can go grocery shopping whenever, take a nap (while LO is napping) if I'm exhausted, run errands during random times, etc. Not saying being a mom/watching LO is easy (because that part can be challenging), but the flexibility definitely makes it so much easier. Also, SAHMs typically wear one 'major' hat - mom - while WOHMs have to wear two - mom and employee.

Plus, I don't see being w/my LO as 'work.' It's definitely challenging and frustrating at times spending 24/7 w/a toddler, but it's not work in the same sense as writing briefs, meeting w/clients, etc.