Don’t Feel Bad; I Love Staying Home

I am a stay-at-home mom, and I’m not ashamed to say that I love it. I don’t miss working. I don’t miss answering to a boss. I don’t miss the drama of taxes. When we had our son my first thought was, “Well, I’ll just take a few months off after the baby is born,” but I found returning to work part-time about as fulfilling as a pop-tart when you really want a steak.

I should mention that part of the reason I adore staying at home is because I never had a career. I worked retail, and while I did love interacting with other adults, explaining our return policy umpteen times a day wasn’t my favorite. I found myself daydreaming about my son, wondering if he was eating or staying away from the TV. I’d take an extra pump break on the days when I really needed to FaceTime him, even though he couldn’t talk yet.

When we set out to have a second baby, I hung up my badge, ignored all help wanted signs, and pressed on, knowing that I had no interest in returning to work. To my surprise, my choice was questioned by those around me. People didn’t understand my decision or how I could feel fulfilled by what I was doing and even inquired if I was planning on getting a “real” job. Since then I’ve also read articles about the importance of self care, stepping away from your kids to do things alone, or be with your husband kid-free from time to time. And I get it, but the truth is, I have always wanted to be a mom, I’ve always wanted to stay home, and I don’t feel like I’m missing out on anything. So please, don’t feel bad for me.

I know that above all else, my babies are the most important thing I have ever accomplished. I have a loving and supportive husband who has stepped up and is an amazing working parent. And when I am sitting at my son’s graduation 16 years from now, I’ll never wonder if I did the right thing by staying home, because I know that it’s the right choice for me.