Tips for Transitioning from Career Woman to Stay at Home Mom
April 1, 2008 by Kelly
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This is a Guest Blog post from Christina Lemmey of Surviving at Home.
Women make the decision to stay at home for many different reasons. Some new mothers do not want to put their babies in daycare; some mothers with older children want to be home for them when they get off the school bus. Still other mothers start a home based business and work while their children are at school.No matter what your reason is for staying at home, there are many challenges and differences between being home and working in an office. Sometimes women who are used to the fast paced corporate world have a more difficult time adjusting to being at home with their children.
Many career women love their wardrobes. Even with most offices adopting the “business casual” dress code, it is always fun to look for the latest fashion trends or splurge on a new pair of designer shoes. The taller the heel the better, right?
Well, now that you are home with your kids, high heels will give you a broken ankle or leg when you trip over the toys or tiny Lego pieces strewn about your home. And you will curse that fashionable silk blouse when the baby spits up his morning meal all over it. Play it safe and get friendly with your jeans and t-shirts that are easy to wash, at least until your baby is past the spitting up stage.
If you loved the adrenaline rushes from working in a corporate environment and liked the chaos of working on multiple projects with the phones ringing off the hook, you will need to adjust your brain to a slower paced and quieter home environment. Multitasking will still be useful to you but your projects now include changing diapers, feeding your children, cleaning up toys, or helping with homework.
Chances are also high that your phone will not ring off the hook because friends are busy at work or they won’t want to disturb the new baby. Taking the time to plan lunch dates, joining a moms’ group with young children, or arranging play dates with neighborhood children are just a few ways to stay connected with other adults. Some friendships even start on the town playground or at the library!
For many stay at home moms the biggest adjustment is living on only one income. Many working couples enjoy dining at restaurants, going to the movies, or going on shopping sprees. Write up a budget of all your monthly expenses (including entertainment) and determine which costs can be eliminated or reduced. Rather than hiring a cleaning person, tackle the housework yourself. Clip coupons for groceries and shop sales or consignment shops for clothes rather than pay full retail price.
Even if you were a high-paid executive with a great savings, spend cautiously and re-evaluate your budget frequently so you do not spend your savings in a few months or a year. Careful planning will eliminate this stress from your life, especially if unexpected emergencies should arise.
Even the most laid back moms can get bored of doing the same routine over and over everyday. If you quickly get bored of changing diapers and feeding the baby, then plan something fun for yourself while baby naps. Pick up a new book, crossword puzzle, or something else that will give you joy. Getting out of the house daily can also break that feeling of cabin fever.
Although there is definitely an adjustment period between office work and staying home, the joys and rewards are numerous. The most obvious benefit is no daycare expenses but there are also no worries about which parent will skip work when the kids are sick. A loving parent will be present for all of baby’s first milestones and you can hear first hand all the school stories as the kids get off the bus.
No matter which life you choose - career mom or stay at home mom - just remember that your entire family will benefit from having a happy mother.
About the Guest Blogger: Christina Lemmey (Our Mom’s Talk News Editor) is a stay at home mom in New York, USA. She shares her stay at home survival stories and tips at Surviving at Home.
To learn more, check out the Mom’s Talk Guide to Organizing Your Life - Step-by-step guide to getting organized, increasing your free time and having way less stress.
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Awesome insights. It’s been a long while since I have worked in an office and when I first stopped so that I can stay home with my kids - I did miss dressing up all nice and wearing heels and make-up and of course the paycheck. But, I do not miss it anymore - yes, I gave up a paycheck but staying home to take care of the kids is simply priceless. I love that I am here when the kids need me and that I get to grow up with my kids.
I find high heels are not the only source of broken anke problems. My kids have toys everywhere!!! I just tripped and fell on one today while holding a baby. I need to figure out how to get that under control.
I find high heels are not the only source of broken ankle problems. My kids have toys everywhere!!! I just tripped and fell on one today while holding a baby. I need to figure out how to get that under control.
Great post on some of the expectations and changes mothers can expect when leaving a full-time career and staying at home. I did a support show in February about this at http://mamastimeout.com, which offers insight and tips for surviving at home.
The main reason I stay home is for my children, but I enjoy being my own boss too now that I have my own “WAH” Business and I am also getting to do what I love by being able to focus on my “Ministry” as well.
I agree - those were good insights. There are a lot of misconceptions about the life of a stay at home mom. It’s not an easy life. Some people may think stay at home moms have it easy or have lots of time on their hands. Nothing could be further from the truth!
I don’t have any small children [I wish I could have stayed home with them more while they were] but now I’m starting to think about retirement as I enter my fifties, so I want to get something going soon so when the time comes I’ll be living on more than social security. I think my grown children could learn from my working at home for later on if and when they become parents or not