All you stay-at-home moms can take heart! A recent newspaper article stated that in the USA there are about 5.4 million moms opting to stay home and care for their children rather than going outside the home to work.
But just because mom isn't bringing home a weekly paycheck doesn't mean she isn't contributing to the family's finances. As we all know, some of the hats we moms wear are: chauffeur, cook, housekeeper, nurse, chief financial officer, child care worker, and many others!
In today's world, the value of all these jobs, on a 24/7 basis would be worth a yearly salary of over $100,000!
If mom went back into the workforce, many of these jobs would need to be done by someone else, at a considerable cost. So the work of being a Stay-at-Home parent does provide a high financial value. And that doesn't even take into consideration the non-financial benefits that families reap!
--Every day we make deposits in the memory banks of our children!--
I am so sorry for your loss Jan. I stay home with my little boy but we still need my income so I sell tupperware so I can stay home and still work. We still have a hard time but I can't stand the thought of daycare.
I take my hat off to stay at home Moms; I stayed at home for 12 years during my children's formative years; the reason I went back into the workforce was to pay private school tuition; I do not regret going back to work; my children "picked up the slack" of the household chores and other duties at home. It was a good experience for us.
God Bless you and your family Jan......I am 28 years old with two precious boys under 5 years old. I told my husband before we got married that I would be a stay at home mom! That was always my dream. My other is to be a forensic investigator (another mom quality!) so I am working on my Associates to finish my Bachelors in General Science that I started so long ago! My mother was SAH until my dad said you all get out, so she with four kids ages 2-15 had to raise us on a bar waitress salary, so she went back to school for an associates degree. She's not rich, but taught us a great lesson in life! Change can happen so fast. So when my youngest starts school, I may be ready to go back to work.....maybe ;)
Susan made a great point about all the skills you possess.....check at temporary placement services, they have so many needed openings in a variety of jobs (Receptionist is great to start out, taking messages for your kids and all!) and you can turn down jobs when you need the extra time to yourself and such. Check the Social Security office again, on the yearly statement, there is a listing for monthly amount you can receive if your spouse dies, may be affected by how much he worked the year before. The information should be on their main site.
Hi Jan, First of all, my sincere condolences for the loss of your husband. I'll keep you in my thoughts and prayers.
You made the right decision to stay home with your children. I wanted to say that you do have lots of job skills: you know how to take care of a house, take care of children, take care of those with medical problems, shop for groceries, cook, make small repairs, yard work and probably a lot more things.
I know it is difficult when it has been so little time since your husband has passed but sometimes necessity is the mother of invention. Think about what you like to do and you may be able to come up with some ways to make money on your own or in the work force. I started working with my sons on web stuff after my husband passed away when I was 49 and now we have ThriftyFun. There are new things and wonderful experiences to come.
Take good care of yourself and let us know how you get along. Susan from ThriftyFun
I have to add a few things to this...and it is hard to say. I am a stay at home Mom. I am 49 years old. My hubby and I decided I would stay at home until the kids graduated high school. This way I could be available to keep up with homework, curfews, friend network, etc. Well the year after my my twin sons graduated high school my hubby was diagnosed with CHF. This meant that I had to assisst him in a lot of things and also take over day to day repairs of the home. Since I know this has become too long I will try to hurry.... MY hubby passed in Sept 2005. Now at 49 I am not eligible for any SS income and I have no job skills. Please ladies stay at home with those babies..they need you . Also you should look to anyway possible to plan for the future that we all pray will never happen... I am sorry if this offends anyone, I just have to live with the realities and wish someone had pointed them out to me years ago. JAN in NC
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