Y3W/Stay at home vs. Working Moms

This subject weighs incredibly on my heart/mind..pretty much at all times. So I thought I'd post about it.

Jenni did a blog addressing the topic and some friends and I have discussed it so I thought I'd put it out there for everyone to read/comment on.

{Circle of Moms}---There's a chart there, I can't get it to copy over here. It's too big. Go check it out, it's a little skewed in my opinion.

I have had the privilege of being both a stay at home mom and working mom. I absolutely loved (and still do) staying home with Addi when she was a baby and now as a toddler. When she was a newborn she was changing each and every day. Learning new things, discovering the world around her. I didn't want to miss that for the world. I was fortunate enough to find an amazing daycare that knew what I was going through leaving my 7 month old baby for 8 hours a day 5 days a week. Kelly was (and still is) a wonderful person and she treats and loves the kids like they are her own.

That leads to my next point about daycare. Whether you choose an "at-home" or center it is really about how YOU feel and how INVITING they are. I called around to a few places and spoke with them about Addi. She had a milk protein allergy and absolutely could not under any circumstances have milk/milk products. A few said that that wouldn't be a problem, a few said that they couldn't guarantee they could keep milk away. Those few daycares were immediately crossed off the list. I didn't even continue talking to them. I continued to talk to the ones that agreed to not give her milk and none of them said "oh just come on by whenever you want, the door is always open (figuratively of course)" except Kelly. She wanted me (and other parents) to feel welcome to come over whenever. I never did because then I knew Addi would freak out and want to come home so I trusted my gut (and Kel) that Addi would be safe. And she was.

In the 2 years (this week...WOW!!!) that Addi has been in daycare I don't know if I could have taught her the things she knows. Yes of course I'd teach her things, but she has learned life lessons. She has learned how to share, how to communicate what she wants/needs/feelings, she's smart. SO smart. The things she says amazes me and not just the silly things; its the things that she's learned from being around other kids. She's a social butterfly. She tries new things. She isn't afraid to get down and dirty while wearing a dress. She shakes it off when she falls down. SHE LISTENS (ok, sometimes lol).

Daycare/school was the best decision Kyle and I could have ever made for our daughter.

Now, I also love staying at home. BUT it's THE.HARDEST.JOB.EVER. hands down. No questions asked. I am fortunate enough that Kyle's job allowed me to stay home after being laid off. I think in the back of our minds we both knew I should stay home until Addi was in kindergarten (and if that happens, great, if I have to go back to work, that's fine too. I know she's taken care of). I am also grateful that we still have the extra cash to send Addi to school 2 days a week. She and I can get the break we need. I don't say that because I don't love my daughter, clearly I do. She's just too much like her father for us to be together 24/7 (and I say that with love honey :P). Again, I love seeing her learn new things, take her to the park everyday, play with friends from school, go to  gymnastics and dance (separate post coming!), painting, coloring etc etc. But this job is hard. The hardest job ever. I don't know how people with more than 1 kid do it. I'm exhausted by the end of the day sometimes.

I have had the best of both worlds. I love staying home and I loved working. I think working gives you a sense of Independence and a {sometimes much needed} break from taking care of the house/family. What I don't like to see are moms arguing over what is right and what is wrong. Parents have to work. It sucks but that's life nowadays. No one should tell another mom how to raise their kid and what do it. Do what works for your family and your family alone. Screw everyone else :)  

Wanna Play Along? Go Ahead!