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Not long ago I wrote a post about all the things I felt I didn’t have or had to give up as a SAHM. Don’t get me wrong, I stand by that. BUT I want others to know about the “What do you gain as a SAHM?” side of things too. Because the things I gained will forever FAR outweigh the things I gave up.
Time
No one can ever take away the nine years I have been home so far. I have been with my kids through so much – all their firsts, nearly every school dropoff and pickup, and alllllll the day-to-day shenanigans.
Being Their Person
Because of all the time I’ve spent with my kids, I know that I am currently their “person”. If they are struggling, they come to me. If they want to celebrate, they come to me. Whether they are at my house and I hear the excited yell across the house or whether they run to see me after school – I am the one they most want to tell what happened. Even after a weekend with their dad, they call me to give me big updates or blurt them out the minute they get into the vehicle.
I absolutely love that I am the person they trust to tell everything to – from the simple to the silly to the downright hard. My kids trust me and want to share with me. I worked really hard to foster those relationships, and to see it paying off is so incredibly rewarding! (The pre-teen and teen years may have me a little concerned about how this will continue. BUT I know the kids and I have navigated every stage so far, so I’m sure we’ll be successful in the next ones too.)
Growth & Learning
I have watched every little thing my kids have done while being a SAHM. From their first word to the many activities we have done since they were babies and toddlers, I have been there. To see firsthand the world through their eyes is so incredibly humbling and something I will never take for granted. They are only little once, and my baby-making-years are over, so I will forever be grateful for the time I’ve had with them.
And let’s talk about my growth for a moment. I have learned how to run a six figure business while raising two humans. I have learned more about conscious parenting than I ever thought possible. I have taken myself to therapy, read more self help books than I thought possible, and so much more. Becoming a mom has seriously cracked me open, caused me to evaluate nearly everything about my being, and made me a better person for it! No one can take that from me, and the skills I have learned will help me for the rest of my life.
Transferable Skills
While I chose to work as a stay at home mom, I know many are truly present with their kids 24/7 and opt to stay out of the work force for awhile. (And let’s not get into the mommy wars here, ok? We are all doing out best with what works for our families and our circumstances and that is GREAT!)
Please do NOT think you’re going to lose your skills and somehow become unemployable as a SAHM. I would argue the exact opposite! You will become a pro at negotiation! Have you met a 3-year-old lately? HA!
Organization. Yep, you’ll be the one keeping the household running. From feeding a baby to staying on top of laundry to knowing where the toddler’s favorite toy is to packing lunches to remembering your child’s after-school activities, you are the one who keeps the ship going. Don’t think that doesn’t deserve mention!
Multi-tasking. A quick internet search may say this isn’t a good habit to get into, but we all know it can be helpful – in every day life AND on the job. Embrace it. Those kids are going to make you do it either way. 🙂
Time management. No one manages time better than a mom trying to juggle everyone’s schedule. You can figure out how to feed a newborn while potty training the toddler while attending your oldest child’s soccer game. You really do have a superhero cape on.
I could really keep going with transferable skills, but I think instead I’ll turn it into its own blog post someday. For now simply know that what you do at home each day with your kids MATTERS. And those skills transfer if you decide you want to go back to work someday.
Laughter
There has been so much laughter being a SAHM. My kids can crack themselves up – whether it’s because they invented a funny song or because they are telling some silly joke they heard at preschool, the laughter has been amazing. We are constantly bantering, tickling, and loving life. To watch their little giggles even from the baby belly laugh to the toddler with speech delays to the big school kids – I am so grateful for all the laughs I’ve been able to witness firsthand.
Magical Moments
What do you gain as a SAHM? This answer is my favorite! I don’t even really know how to explain this one, but I feel like other parents will get it. There have simply been too many magical moments to even mention. If you don’t get it yet, you will. And it will be magical and worth every tear and worry.
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What do you gain as a SAHM? I hope the list above helped enlighten you a little and see things from this stay at home mom’s perspective. I’ve had a variety of jobs since I was 8-years-old and this one has by far been the best – without a single doubt in my mind!
I hope every parent out there considering staying home realizes the “hards” are worth every single trade off you make for the many “greats” that will take place. Don’t let the naysayers get to you. You CAN stay home with your kids. Yes, it could take sacrifice. Yes, it might be hard. But life is full of hard and sacrifices, so why not do those with your kids at the forefront of it all?
Remember you CAN also work from home and create an income in the little pockets of time that you have. Sometimes we need that additional income. I was there. I get it. Let me help you make money while being with the people you love the most every day. Learn more about my business coaching for moms here.
