How can you find more fulfillment as a stay at home mom? Treat it like a career! Find out your monetary worth and your value as a mother!
When people find out I am a Stay at Home Mom (SAHM), I sometimes hear responses such as these:
-So, do you work?
-What do you do all day?
-Do you get bored?
-Do you ever wish you could go back to work?
Although often under appreciated, SAHMs are a staple to our society. Yes, there are times where I wish that I had a job where I could receive a raise, recognition, even a paycheck. The work you are doing as a mom will have far more lasting results than any career you could ever have. When you view your mothering role more as a job or career, you will find more success and fulfillment.
No matter what, every day I get out of bed and get completely ready for the day. Fresh clothes, hair done, ready to face the world. Why? Why not? Being a mom is the career I have chosen. Before I had kids, I would get up and get ready to go to work every day. The work I do now is much harder and much more rewarding than any previous job I have had.
I LOVE looking up the monetary “worth” of a stay at home mom each year. Here is the figure for 2022: a whopping $184,820!
Not too shabby, huh? The value of a stay at home mom keeps going up over the years (I’m not convinced that is only because of inflation either).
So, let’s talk about some of these skills here and how you can get ‘more ahead’ in your career as a SAHM.
Executive Housekeeper/Dietician:
I love that the title changed from regular old housekeeper or Maid and cook to ‘Executive Housekeeper’ and ‘Dietician’. (P.S., in years past, Executive Chef also appeared on the list!) As I have mentioned before, I take my job as an Executive Housekeeper seriously. Staying on top of the housework alone could be a full-time job! Keeping the house clean and teaching your children to do so develops skills of cleanliness and order.
Moms may not love cooking for picky palates but as a Chef and Dietician, wouldn’t you be looking for reviews and taste testers? I am more inclined to try new recipes and improve upon our meals if I am a Chef, rather than a pull-frozen-burritos-out-of-the-freezer-short-order cook.
Facilities Director/Plumber/Janitor/Maintenance Supervisor/Groundskeeper/Laundry Manager/Tailor:
While my husband is gone at work, I can’t call him to plunge a toilet, unclog a sink, or fix the various things that seem to constantly go broken. Learn the skills, acquire the supplies, and most important: don’t underestimate the power of YouTube. I swear you can learn anything from YouTube.
Teaching and then supervising all the various chores that the kids do takes a LONG TIME up front, but the end result I know is oh so rewarding. Some days it would be easier to just clean the bathrooms myself, but when the kids clean them right, it’s amazing!
You could easily hire someone to mow the lawn, weed the yard, plant and harvest the garden, but think of the money you save by doing it yourself! Life-long lessons of work and law of the harvest can be taught to the kids, as well as an appreciation for nature.
Nurse/Dietician/Psychologist/Life Coach:
The health and well-being of a family depends largely on the mom. Sick kids? There are days when I wish I could call in sick on this one. Dragging multiple kids to the Doctor is no fun. Home remedies come in handy until a Doctor’s visit is absolutely necessary.
The best way to keep your family healthy is through those delicious whole foods. Trying to juggle who has eaten what and how much can be overwhelming. Making sure everyone has fair portion sizes is just as tough as balancing the ‘finish your plate’ vs. ‘listen to your body’ psychology.
And speaking of psychology, plan on the hours and hours you will spend listening to school and friend drama. Working through sibling arguments and disagreements are right up there with the drama too.
Day Care Center Teacher/Art Director/Event Planner/Recreational Therapist:
By day, a Day Care Center Teacher. By afternoon, an Event Planner. Depending on the age of the kids you can call something an activity or an event. Filling the mornings with productive activities to help their little brains grow = productive play, story times, crafts, walks, etc. We try to avoid tv in the mornings and explore the world around us. When the big kids get home from school we move onto events: bigger outings that require more planning, but also have the potential for more fun!
Planning, scheduling, and transportation to extra-curricular activities is can be crazy! Balancing supporting the child in the extra-curricular activity while entertaining everyone else…the struggle is real! Planning is a huge part of getting everything to work (most of the time).
Academic Advisor/Public School Teacher/Education:
Thought you’d never use math again? You will become the live-in math tutor. Better brush up on those skills now! Everyone does homework at the same time so I can just move around the table and help those who need it, and make sure the others stay on task! Reading out loud to kids helps teach them new words and explore different things that wouldn’t normally come up in conversation around the house.
Passing on skills for extra-curricular activities is always handy. I am musically inclined, so I teach each of my kids to play piano. We work on simple sports skills like basketball, catch, frisbee, soccer, etc. during the summer to help with their coordination. Take advantage of your talents and hobbies and teach them to your children!
Accountant/Buyer:
SAHMs have the potential to blow all the money. We could shop all day long if we wanted! (if you really want to shop with your kids all day). As the Accountant or Chief Financial Officer of the household, you are responsible to ensure a budget is made and followed. It is so easy to overspend “for the good of the family”. Designer clothes, shopping solely at Whole Foods, etc. There is a less-expensive alternative that can be achieved by making a budget and communicating with the maker of the money. Think of it this way: the more money you save, the more money you have! (Astounding concept, I know, but you’d be surprised how many people don’t understand this)
Looking over this list, you can see why SAHMs have such a great monetary value. Even if it doesn’t seem rewarding day in and day out. SAHMs have many options each day: they can dress for success, plan productively, and strive to meet personal and family goals. Or, you can roll out of bed, turn the tv on, and try to survive until the kids go to bed again. It’s your career, it’s your choice!
You definitely need to wear a number of hats to be a mum, and the SAHM role is definitely undervalued. I was amazed to see the figures!
I agree!
Qomg Love this post!! And wow..if only we got paid!
I love this post. I wrote something like this recently. Stay-at-home moms should be millionaires.
It seems like being millionaires would make some days a bit easier, doesn’t it?
Honestly, I hadn’t been viewing my role as a career choice, but after reading your post, I think I will try to reframe my perspective a bit, and see if it helps me to feel more fulfilled by my day-to-day responsibilities. Thanks for sharing!
I think career CHOICE is exactly it. When you realize that you have chosen to raise those children, you are more apt to do it the best you can, rather than just survive until bedtime.
Yep yep yep!!! Love this! I think SAHM feel under appreciated way more than they feel appreciated. It really is never ending cycle of food, landrary, dish, etc.
Sometimes I wish that mothers could get raises and recognitions the way other careers do…
I love seeing how much stay at home mom’s are monetarily worth as well!
I was a SAHM for 8 months after the birth of our second child, and it’s not near as glamorous as I imagined it to be. Oftentimes I felt lonely and even isolated so decided to return to work part time.
It’s definitely not a career for everyone!
Being a stay at home mom can very easily become a lonely job. The first few days of sitting at home cuddling a new baby are sure fun, but then it settles in that things will change, so you have to change with it. Whether that is going back to another job part time and making the most of the time you do have at home with your kids, or staying home full-time. Change and growth are guaranteed to happen.
What a great post! It’s time all SAHMs get the recognition that’s deserved. I love that you treat it like a career. You can either coast by and hope to survive, or you can take charge and make the most of every opportunity.
For sure! I hope that I am not just a coaster. Some days I am definitely not as purposeful as others. I definitely feel more fulfilled at the end of the day when I have been intentional with my parenting.
I really love the perspective of viewing this role as a career. For me, it was my career goal. Unfortunately, as a solo parent I have to work but I am very fortunate to be able to do so from home. I really need to work on dressing for success, though!
For me dressing for success is a huge key to my productivity. If I stay in my pajamas or lounging around clothes, I am not nearly as motivated as when I get up, make-up, and fix my hair. Get ready for being a stay at home mom the same as you would any other job or career.