Staying at Home with Your Children is Harder Than Going to Work
This is what research has to say…
22% say you will never finish a cup of tea again. 33% say you will eat most meals with one hand. 17%: say your back will always hurt. 48 % (only half of all new parents) believe that starting a family is a perfect experience.
4 Key Findings (by Pew Research Center) About Stay-At-Home Moms
1. More moms are staying home
The share of mothers who do not work outside the home has risen over the past decade. (1)
2. Stay-at-home moms are more likely to be impoverished
34% of stay-at-home mothers are poor, compared with 12% of working mothers. They are also less likely to be white and more likely to be immigrants. (1)
3. Stay-at-home moms in poverty have doubled since 1970
While more stay-at-home moms are in poverty — those with working husbands generally are better off than those without. However, stay-at-home moms with working husbands are not as well off financially as married mothers who work outside the home. (1)
4. Home by choice or obligation?
- Married stay-at-home mothers with working husbands are more likely to say caring for family is their primary reason for being home. (1)
- Single and cohabiting stay-at-home mothers are more likely to say they are ill or disabled, unable to find a job, or enrolled in school (1)
Overall, a growing share of stay-at-home mothers say they are home because they cannot find a job: 6% in 2012, versus 1% in 2000. (1)
More Research Findings
1. Majority of Stay-at-Home Moms Consider Going Back to Work
Research firm Reach Advisors conducted a study that found 57% of moms think about going back to work someday. (2)
2. Stay-at-Home Moms Report More Depression, Sadness and Anger
A Gallup poll revealed more stay-at-home moms report experiencing sadness or anger in their day than moms who work outside of the home. Of the 60,000 women surveyed: (2)
- 42% of stay-at-home moms felt like they were struggling compared to 36% of working moms.
- The number of stay-at-home moms who smiled or laughed a lot the previous day was 81%, compared to 86% of working moms.
- 50% of SAHMs reported stress in their previous day, and 26% reported sadness.
Every stay-at-home mom must establish a support network, including regular outings with other mom friends to get a much-needed break and prevent mommy burnout.
Final Note
Despite all of these findings, 60% of Americans say a child is better off with at least one parent at home while only 35% said kids are just as well off with both parents working outside the home. (1) (2)
With all of society’s pressures and common misconceptions about stay at home mums/dads, it seems that parents can’t win either way. That’s why doing what’s best for you and your family is really the only thing that matters.
It isn’t about the ‘luxury’ of choosing between staying home or working, because as research has shown us, both options come with their own set of challenges and circumstances. It’s really about making the decision that’s right for you.
