I was purely a stay-at-home mother from 1996 to about 2000. I loved it. I had a little schedule that I stuck to - doing certain chores on certain days. I took care of my little sons. It was all I ever wanted to do in life.
I started working part-time in late 2000, and my daughter was born the following year. I never did go back to work full-time, even when my kids were all in school.
The main reason is that there is a LOT to be done at home. My favorite days are the ones where I am home all day long. I can clean, cook, and have everything ready and done when people get home from school and work. There's no asking others to do the laundry, unload the dishwasher, vacuum the house, etc. in their spare moments. Everyone can relax, instead. There is a lot value in that.
Not everyone can afford to do this, and it makes me wonder about our country and how things have changed. There was a time when most families got by with one income. Work policies now are so unfriendly toward the worker and the family. America, more than any other country, is so driven by schedules. We're all overworked and stressed. Taking sick leave or vacation is frowned upon. When did our society become so work-driven and detrimental toward our personal and family lives?
I wouldn't want to go back to 1950, as a lot of progress has been made in other areas. But in terms of school and work, I wish our society could go back to a better balance, where people have the option to work less and recreate and relax more.
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