Editor’s Note: Welcome Lindsey Grace Darby as a guest columnist to I Kid You No.  As a mother to a soon to be 3 year old and a 6 month old, Lindsey Grace was asked to share her perspective of being a stay-at-home mom.

by Lindsey Grace Darby
Guest Columnist and Stay-at-Home Mom

Working mom?  Stay-at-home mom?  Or something in between?  When asked to write this post from the point of view of a stay at home mom, I got to thinking--- “that’s not really what I am!”  It’s what I would like to think I am, but when I stop to look at my week, I find that I’m caught right in the middle!  So here’s the perspective of a “working-part-time/stay-at-home” mom...

There was never any question in my mind what I would do once I had children.  My mother stayed home with my brother and me, and don’t we all tend to parent the way we were parented?? (Good or bad?!)  But truth be known, we are a young family, my husband hasn’t been in his career more than five years, and we can’t really afford to live off of one income!  Try as we may, we just can’t.  And we refuse to live in denial and run up all of our credit cards- that’s not good for our family life! 

So my husband and I do what we can for me to be at home raising our boys as much as possible- he spends extra hours coaching a soccer team, I teach 3 days a week with a homeschooling group, and I have started a home business.  Some may think it’s too much “extra”- and I do the same at times!  But spending the extra time in the mornings that I work with my boys and the other two full days I have with them are the best!

For me, seeing the light go “ding” in my almost 3 year old’s eyes when he discovers something new, or watching my 6 month old almost get his legs underneath him just right-- those are the days that I know being at home is worth every second of it!  It gets tiresome and there are many days I can’t wait for some “real” conversation- but that’s when playdates and just getting out and involved in the community come in to play!  We have a good circle of friends we play with weekly; we make trips to the grocery store as enjoyable as possible with lists for all of us; story hour at the library is wonderful; zoo memberships are worth it.  Anything free or cheap is very appealing! 

That would be my biggest piece of advice to anyone who is thinking of staying home, but may not because they think they may get bored--- you would be AMAZED at what all is out there to keep you and your little one(s) busy!  And for that extra little bit of income, home businesses can keep that “work” side of you feeling productive!
 
That’s my take on being at home, sort of.  Some moms don’t have that calling- but some do.  It’s all about appreciating each mom and the hard work they put forth, no matter how they spend their days!  We all love our kids just the same!

Oh, and just a side note...because I am home more than a working mom, my house is NOT spotless and my husband does not have a nice home cooked meal to come home to every night.  How did June Cleaver do it?