5 Incredible Benefits of Being a Stay at Home Mom
You may be pondering what you want to do yourself, or perhaps your just curious what the bright spots in this style of parenting brings. While there are many pros and cons to being a stay-at-home mom. This article will just be focusing on the pros.
It’s a valid question, what are the benefits of stay at home moms? Being a stay at home mom (SAHM) is a choice that many women make for all sorts of reasons. Whatever the reason, being a SAHM has many benefits, both for the mother and the children. Here are some of the advantages of being a SAHM:
So what are the Benefits of Being a Stay at Home Mom?
You have more time with your children
One of the most obvious benefits of being a SAHM is that you get to spend more time with your children. You can witness their milestones, be in the drivers seat, teaching them new skills, and bond with them on a deeper level. You can also be more involved and in control of their education, hobbies, and social activities. Being a stay at home mom gives you much more freedom to tailor your schedule to fit your babies needs, and to create a routine that works for those needs.
According to one 2014 study, the benefits of having a parent at home extend beyond the early years of childhood. The study found that adolescents who had a parent at home after school reported higher academic achievement, lower levels of stress and aggression, and higher levels of happiness than those who did not.
Do you have too much time with your children? Here’s 16 No-DIY Activities Toddlers: Fun, Easy and Cheap Ways to Keep Your Little One Busy
You save money on childcare
If you are a parent this goes without saying but childcare is expensive. Like really really expensive. This expense is compounded if you have more than one little one more than one little one or need you have circumstances that require specialized care. If you’re like me and you didn’t have a lucrative career before having children, paying for child care may not make fiscal sense. (In my case I would only make enough to pay for the child care and transportation costs. Meaning I would be working just to be away from my baby.)
If this is the driving factor in your decision, you are not alone. According to a Pew Research Center study, about 18% of American parents stayed home with their children in 2018. One of the main reasons for this decision was the high cost of childcare. The study found that 62% of parents who stayed home said they did so because they could not afford childcare or it was not available.
You reduce stress for yourself and your children
Working inside and outside the home can both be pretty stressful. However, the benefit of working inside the home if you probably won’t have to deal with hard deadlines and long commutes. Working inside the home as a stay at home mom means you have to wear fewer hats. AKA not of being a project coordinated for a commercial business AND your families activities. Your time and energy is less divided, and you have to “task switch’ less often, so your mental load is less.
By staying at home, you can reduce stress for yourself and your children. On top of the aforementioned things, you can avoid the hassle of getting ready in the morning, rushing to drop off and pick up your kids, and dealing with traffic.
You can also have more flexibility and autonomy over your time and activities. You choose what you want to do and when you want to do it.
By being at home with your children, you can provide them with a more stable and secure environment. Since your little one isn’t in childcare being taken care of by someone different every day.
Want to reduce stress even further? Keeping organized always helps me. Try: Why Keeping a Self Care Journal is Brilliant -26 Compelling Thoughts
You simplify your lifestyle
Being a SAHM can help you simplify your lifestyle and focus on what matters most. You can eliminate unnecessary expenses, such as work clothes, gas, parking fees, lunches out and of course, as was mentioned before, childcare.
Spending less time on making money and more time with family can help recenter and refocus your mind for the better.
I find being home with my little one helps me focus on what really matters; like Family, serving God, and being fully present in the current moment.
Also, spending less time making money means less money is coming in which, while stressful at times, helps me keep focused by forcing a simpler way of living. It disenfranchises you a little from the capitalist society we live in. It slows you and your decision making down. Helps you be more intentional in the way you live.
You don’t miss any milestones
Being a SAHM allows you to witness every milestone of your child’s development. You don’t have to miss their first smile, steps, their first time feeding themselves, or saying “hi” with their sweet little voice.
Being with your littles day in and day out means you are building an enormous storehouse of wonderful memories with them. Memories you will cherish forever.
You get to be there for each and every celebration, achievement, challenge, and setback your child faces. You get to be their every time they need guidance, support, or words of wisdom.
Being present for your child’s milestones strengthens your bond. Research has shown that secure attachment between parents and children is crucial for their emotional and social development. By being present for your child, you can show them that you love them unconditionally and that you are proud of them.
How Much is it Worth to be a Stay At Home Mom?
The economic value of being a SAHM can be estimated by calculating the cost of replacing the services that a SAHM provides for her family.
According to a 2019 study by Salary.com, the median annual salary of a SAHM would be $178,201 if she were paid for her work. This amount is based on the average time spent on things like childcare, housekeeping, cooking, laundry, and shopping -using the market rates for each service.
The social value of being a SAHM can be measured by the impact that a SAHM has on her children and society.
By staying at home with her children, a SAHM can provide them with more attention, guidance, and support. She can also be more involved in their education, health, and well-being. Research has shown that children who have a parent at home tend to have better academic performance, lower levels of stress and aggression, and higher levels of happiness than those who do not. By raising healthy, happy children who contribute to society, a SAHM contributes to the wellbeing of her community.
The personal value of being a SAHM can be assessed by the satisfaction and fulfillment that a SAHM derives from her role.
By being a SAHM, you can often have more freedom to pursue passions and interests, develop new skills and hobbies. Being a SAHM can also enhance your self-esteem and confidence as you successfully overcome the unique challenges that come with being a stay-at-home mom.
However, the true value of being a SAHM cannot be quantified or compared with any other role. It is a unique and meaningful choice that each woman makes for herself and her family. Being a SAHM is a difficult role and a valuable one.
Stay at home moms do a ton of hard work and that can take a toll on a marriage. If you want to read more about this, see this article: Will Stay-at-Home Moms Divorce or live Happily-Ever-After?
What is the Best Thing About Being a Stay At Home Mom?
The answer to this question is subjective and it really depends on who you are as a person. For me, it’s the fact that I am missing out on so little of my sweet babies milestones. I get to see her grow up, I get to see her learn and change most moments of most days.
This is far from a comprehensive list but perhaps one of the previously mentioned reasons will be your favorite, should you choose to pick up the stay-at-home mom torch.
Ultimately, the best thing about being a stay at home mom is what makes you happy and fulfilled.
Want to learn more about the pros and cons of being a stay at home mom? Have a look at this: Are Stay-At-Home Moms Happier or Struggling with Depression?
Conclusion
Being a stay at home mom is not an easy job. It requires, patience, love, motivation, and a lot of sacrifice.
However, being a SAHM also has many benefits that for many women across the globe, outweigh the costs.
What will you choose to do? Do you think the things mentioned in this article like more time with your children, spending less money, refacing your life, reducing stress, and enjoying all your child’s milestones are worth making a switch?
While I myself sort of “fell” into being a stay-at-home mom due to not having a “career” before having my first child, I do realize that not everyone exactly has the choice to just up and become one. It can be a goal to work toward though if you feel it’s a worthwhile one for you and your family.
There is no right or wrong answer, but I hope you found this informative if you are trying to figure out what will work for you.
Thanks Bunches for reading!
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More resources:
https://srcd.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1467-8624.2010.01438.x
https://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/education/2009-12-08-school-lunch-standards_N.htm
Stay-At-Home Mom: Its Benefits And Drawbacks – MomJunction. https://www.momjunction.com/articles/pros-and-cons-of-being-a-stay-at-home-mother_00342701/.