Having a child is a life-changing decision. You are now responsible not only for yourself, but for a little one who needs you to do everything for them. Because of this, many parents will start to think that they want to become a stay at home parent. Many people become stay-at-home parents for many reasons like not wanting to leave their child with someone else or to try to save money overall. No matter what your reason you need to talk to your partner before you make your final decision if you are going to be a stay-at-home parent. So keep reading to discover ten things you need to consider before becoming a stay-at-home mother.
10. CAN YOU HANDLE BEING ALONE ALL DAY?
Something that some parents forget when they decide to become a stay at home parent is how much time you are going to be spending at home. Though you will still go out to run errands and set up playdates you are going to be spending a lot of time in your house and sometimes staying in your house too long can make anyone go a little stir crazy. So if you are the type of person who needs to have a lot of social interactions then being a stay at home parent might not be for you.
9. DOES YOUR BUDGET ALLOW IT?
Before you put in your notice stating that you are not returning to work after the baby you need to look at your household budget. Your family needs to see what you will be taking home with one income and if it is going to cover paying all of the household bills. This might mean that you have to go back on some extra spending, but if one income can cover all of your necessities then being a stay-at-home parent can be an option for you and your family.
8. CONSIDER ALL THE OPTIONS
There are many things you and your partner need to look at when you decide to become a stay-at-home mom. You need to make sure that you are looking at all of your options before you make that decision. There are times when family might be able to help you out or daycares that you do feel comfortable leaving your child out. But you also need to talk to your work. There may be options for you to work different shifts or even telecommute from home. Go through all of your options to make sure you are not missing anything.
7. DO YOU WANT TO DO IT?
There can be times when after having a baby your partner may not want to have you or them ever leave the baby’s side. This can mean that they are starting the discussion of you leaving your job to become a stay-at-home parent. Though this might not be exactly what you want you are listening to what they have to stay about this topic. But if you love your job and you found a place where you can leave your child then do what your gut tells you and keep working.
6. TALK TO OTHER SAHMS
You can only guess what it is like being a stay at home parent before you actually become one. But talking to people who are staying at home parents can really help you understand all of the responsibilities that they face. This can really help you make up your mind when you hear from people first hand. Talk to your stay-at-home mom friends to hear some of their stories or if you don’t have any stay at home mom friends then head online to join some Facebook groups to hear the inside scoop.
5. CAN YOU CREATE ACTIVITIES AND LESSONS FOR YOUR CHILD AS THEY GROW?
When your baby is a newborn the do not do much besides eat and sleep. But as they grow they are going to need social and mental stimulation. At daycares, teachers create lesson plans for what kids will be doing every day and at home, you are going to want to create a list of activities you want your child to learn. From teaching them how to read or taking them to a kid’s museums these activities are important and if you are not a creative person it can be hard for you to come up with them.
4. HAVE AN ESTIMATED TIME FRAME FOR HOW LONG YOU WILL BE A SAHM
There is no time frame for being a stay-at-home parent. Some parents stay at home until their child is in preschool, high school, or they wait until their kids graduate from high school. The time frame a person can be a stay-at-home parent depends entirely on each family. Though you might not be looking for work until years from now it is smart that you talk to your partner about how long you are thinking about being a SAHM. This will give you a better sense of how long you will be in this role making it more maintaining for you to live this way.
3. COMMUNICATE CLEAR RESPONSIBILITIES BETWEEN YOU AND YOUR PARTNER
A SAHM does more than just take care of the kids. Many times a SAHM is also in charge of running errands and taking care and cleaning the house. If you are considering being a SAHM then you need to talk to your partner about what responsibilities will be yours and theirs. This can help you feel less stressed about doing everything. Clear expectations lets you know what you do not have to do and what you want to get done throughout the day. And these expectations can also help fill up your day so you do not fill bored being at home.
2. ARE YOUR COMFORTABLE LEAVING YOUR CAREER?
Before getting pregnant and having a baby you might have been very focused on your career. You might have gone to school or taken special training to get where you are in the company. And if you have been working hard to work your way up the company ladder then you might not want to step away from it all. Not wanting to leave your job does not make you a bad parent, it just means you want to be able to have a career and be a mother. So if you do not want to leave your career to stay at home, then you need to be honest with your partner so you do not regret any choice you make now.
1. WILL YOU BE SAVING MONEY IF YOU WERE A SAHM?
The main reason why people become a stay at home parent is to help their family save money from not having to pay daycare costs. Like we mentioned before looking at your budget is a must when making your decision. But if you are not going to be saving money by you leaving your job and not using daycare then you might want to consider going back to work. Remember that only you and your partner can make this decision so take your time when deciding of being a SAHM is right for you.