I live in a city where most moms have to work full time. Children go to daycare from a young age and, once they reach school age, they spend their summers at day camps.

The children are tired and the parents are exasperatedly stuck in a vicious cycle of infinite love tangled with the monstrous desire to run away.

When my husband and I had our first (E), we decided to make every sacrifice possible for me to stay at home full time.

I would love to be able to tell you that being a stay at home mom was a bliss, but it wasn’t.

Being a Stay at Home Mom Just Wasn’t for Me

Actually, being a SAHM was pretty terrible for me.

Where I live, the life of a stay-at-home mom is one of feeling isolated, having serious financial headaches and, sadly, of often being stigmatized as lazy, old-fashioned and even unsophisticated.

Nevertheless, we struggled, but made it last for a few years. But when our second (B) was about eighteen months old, I returned to work full time, mostly because of financial reasons.

Despite a re-established financial independence and a fulfilling job, that did not feel right for us either.

When the girls got sick, I was incapable of taking them to daycare stuffed with acetaminophen, even though the thought of having to call in sick again made my palms sweat.

And on dark winter mornings, I would glance at their little faces still numb with sleep, and felt an overwhelming sense of regret and guilt. All I could think about was that they wouldn’t get their lazy summers or the chance to grow up with Mom and discover the world at their own pace. No! Being a full-time working mother was not for me either.

I was constantly tormented by what to do. My heart refused to continue working full time, but my mind cringed at the thought of being broke and going back to singing Twinkle Twinkle Little Star twenty times a day.

Finding Work-Life Balance, or Better Yet, Just Life Balance

Fortunately, our little family was in God’s favor and I was able to find a solution to this daily torment. I quit my full-time corporate position and started offering part-time virtual data entry services; a gig that eventually led me to becoming a freelance content writer / copywriter, a profession that was in line with my passion for writing, my intellectual curiosity and my bachelor’s in English Literature.

The fact that my job was project-based was revolutionary for me. I could suddenly work around my kids’ schedule! I still sent them to daycare, but on a half-time schedule, and with an arrangement to keep them home during the summer. Plus, I never had to worry about my kids waking up with the sniffles. If they were sick, they stayed home with me and I would work in the evening when my husband came home. I had finally found my niche!

Now, with several years’ experience as a self-proclaimed working stay at home mom, I feel that it’s time to pay it forward and help other parents find their balance in the wonderful chaos that is raising a family.

Adopting a WSAHM way of life is not for the faint of heart, but it is a blessing that saved my family life.

Are you considering being a WSAHM? Send me a line! I will answer your questions as best as I can.

Meanwhile, here is a list of stay at home mom jobs to consider if you wish to become a working stay at home mom too.

Talk soon,

The Working Stay at Home Mom