WHY I STILL STAYED HOME by Elizabeth Spencer MOM TO THE RESCUE “So, what do you do all day?”
moms out there: I truly don’t know how you do it. But given the choice, why did I “stay home” in the first place? After all, many moms balance careers and attention to their big kids brilliant- ly. But I knew myself, knew my low threshold for stress...and knew I wouldn’t be one of them. So I stayed home—and would do it again—because for us, I believed the older-kid years were the most important time for me to be fully available for my children.
Stay-at-home-moms have been fielding this question for decades, and articles answering it have been written by authors a lot craftier than I. But things get really tricky when you are a non-ho- meschooling SAHM of older children. Your PTA days are over. Your kids dress them- selves and direct themselves and possibly even drive themselves. Supposedly, they don’t “need you” much anymore. When the people I stayed home for were older but still often at home, I spent my days getting my little family (my husband and our two daugh- ters) out the door and then welcoming them back when they got home. I cooked and cleaned. I managed our family’s schedule, including my girls’ multiple dance classes a week and their heavy involvement in the school band program. I did a little legal document prep for my attorney husband. I served on the worship team at church and facilitated a weekly women’s Bible study. I was a career band mom. I volunteered at school. I sometimes worked as a catering assistant to fund dance costumes. I was and still am beyond grateful to have had even the option of spending my time that way. I know so many moms would love to have this choice. I know most two-income families are not buying “extras” with those incomes. I also know many moms do important away-from-home work they love and cannot imagine being happy without. And to all the homeschooling and employed
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JANUARY 2021 • SPOTLIGHT ON BUSINESS MAGAZINE
SPOTLIGHT ON BUSINESS MAGAZINE • JANUARY 2021
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