Can you really say that being a stay home Mother is a career?

[laundry_queen]

93. Not working yet

but I went from stay at home mom of 4 with a fairly financially stable life, to a single mom who is now in school full time. I'm gone most of the day and my youngest is in child care, and when I am home, I'm doing homework. I must rely and trust my untrustworthy ex to pay me the monthly support so I can pay the bills and soon enough I will be in the workforce and part of my support will be cut off.

I can say that being a stay at home mom was much easier. Sure it was a lot of work, but it was less stressful. I knew if one of my kids got hurt at school, I'd be home when the school called for me to take them to the hospital for stitches. I knew if *I* happened to get sick, I could rest and leave the housework for a day. Grocery shopping was an adventure for the young ones when they weren't in school and was a chance to leisurely shop and teach the kids about prices and budgeting and nutrition. I could schedule doctor and dentist appointments whenever I felt like. I had time to go for walks and work out. I had time to cook elaborate meals and experiment. If I felt like popping on to DU for an hour while the baby was sleeping, I could do that too.

Now, with being in school, I have to stress if one of the kids gets sick, who is going to watch them? What if I have a final that day? That actually happened to me in my first year - the morning of a final, my youngest started throwing up. Her daycare obviously couldn't take her. I called my mom who has a good job and asked her if she could watch my daughter. Luckily, it was a slow day for her and she could leave work. What do women do when they don't have family help and they can't send their kid to school sick?

I no longer have time for anything but the basic things that need to get done.

Last term I got sick. Really sick. Nearly ended up with pneumonia. I missed almost a week of school. I had a lighter course-load than normal so I eventually caught up, but my illness and hacking cough lingered for months because I couldn't rest properly. I couldn't help but think, "What if I was working and was on an hourly wage and needed full time hours to make my rent AND I didn't live in Canada and have free healthcare?" the very thought made me sick. I cannot even imagine how difficult it is for working moms in the US today. There really is no comparison between that and the cushy SAHMWARH life (stay at home mom with a rich husband).