Why I stay at home by Margaret Delle

January 29, 2007 by

Margaret Delle  

 

I stay at home primarily because of our children, of course. Before we were even married, my husband and I made sure that we agreed on this, and that no matter our situation, we would do our utmost to keep our children at home with a parent, rather than in daycare. We particularly feel

 that infants and toddlers need a lot of time and nurture provided by mom, and so providing them with those things has become my job, so to speak.

Our children do benefit from this. We rarely have to deal with illness because I can keep them out of the winter germ-pools. If they do get a cold or the flu, I don't have to scramble to find care or ask for a day off-I'm already there. We have our busy days, but we also have days where I spend my time doing things just for them, with them. We can go to the park at a moment's notice and enjoy a good romp. I have the time to sit down with them and read a book on a whim, to play with magnetic letters, to give them paper and taech them their letters, and to sit down for a bowl of popcorn and some hot chocolate on a cold winter morning.

There is no morning rush to get everyone out the door and there are no chaotic evenings where we're not sure who's going to cook supper or what there is to eat. While the world around us is going a million miles an hour, our children's world is a calm, stable haven of peace.

If my being at home only benefitted our children, I would still do it. However, I've been happy to find out that there is a myriad of benefits to our whole family, simply by my being a full-time at-home mom. The biggest benefit is financial. In many small ways, my being at home enables us to live on less (which is good because my being at home means we have less income!). Because I am at home, I have the time to put together detailed menus and shopping lists which keep our grocery bill to a minimum. I'm able to keep track of our finances in detail month-to-month, and I have the time to actually sit down and list exactly what I need when I do have to go shopping

 

Not being confined to a few hours here and there for shopping, I also have the time to go to several different stores to take advantage of deals, and to pay attention to details like price per unit on items I want to purchase. We need not eat out or order in because of lack of time, or

pull in to a drive-through on our way to somewhere else in our busy schedule. That alone saves us hundreds of dollars a month (if you eat out more than once a week, tally up your reciepts and prepare for a shock!). I am also able to work on projects that ultimately save us money, like making my own simple lined curtains for a drafty room, rather than purchasing them at 10 times the cost of the fabric I bought for that project.

Another benefit to us as a family is that being at home means I have the time and energy to create a home around us that is comfortable and welcoming, for us and for guests. My little boys are learning to help me clean, and unless I'm really out of sorts, our house is tidy; floors swept, dishes done, and clutter put away. This is easy to do because I am able to work on it a little every day, rather than waiting for clutter and grime to pile up to overwhelming proportions. This is very important because my personality does not permit me to be comfortable and happy if my home is messy, the beds are unmade, and there are toys and clothes all over the floor.
Being at home and having the time to clean is a huge benefit to me personally. Having grown up in cultures where eating together is very important, my being at home means that I can prepare healthy, delicious meals and set our table every night for good family together time. I can offer my tired husband a drink when he walks in the door and a peaceful atmosphere in which to unwind and relax. We are able to spend close to an hour enjoying our evening meal together, and we relish that time, looking forward to it every day.There may be some women who have the ability to remain organized, calm, and at peace even with a busy lifestyle and career, but I am not one of them.

Were I to work outside the home even part time, all of the things I mentioned above would fall apart-I would not be able to be organized with shopping or finances, to plan our menus and come up with decent meals every night, and I would be miserable coming home every day to face an untidy house. For our family, and for me personally, the benefits of me being at home extend far beyond our children having me available at all times.
 

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