Stay Home or Go to Work?

You don't say!

As opposed to what? The sense of worthlessness the SAH mom must feel?

I know, I know, she didn't say "In every case." And yes, emotional considerations are as important as financial ones in this decision.

But come on! In the second paragraph there seems to be a strong implication that sufficient "fulfillment" is not available at home, and that one does not use one's "skills" at home. I'm trying to come up with an occupation for which that would actually be true. At the very least, surely one's critical thinking skills are taxed heavily at home!

If emotional reasons are to be considered, why not also point out the stresses of wondering what your kids are doing while you're away, of more complicated time management, of dealing with kids who will likely act up during the transition period as their routine is altered. These may not be deal-breakers, but they are real issues. Seems like in this article the only non-monetary "factors" to consider are how happy you're likely to be once you get out of the house!

I am thoroughly unambitious and have only ever worked out of sheer necessity. I did like my job BC okay, but I didn't like getting up every morning, facing the traffic, working late for stressed-out consultants, etc. And I knew it was only for three years.

Even now, staring necessity full in the face, the idea of going back to work seems revolting to me.

Working stresses me out. I don't like being on somebody else's time, having to live up to somebody else's standards. I'm always nervous for at least a solid year on a new job.

Am I lazy? Or allergic?

I was also quite disappointed to read Mrs. Kay's response to this question.
Mrs. Kay was somewhat of a celebrity around these parts a few years ago. Her husband was stationed at Ft. Drum (where we have been for many years) when her first book, Shop, Save and Share was published. The impression that I garnered from this book was that she was a very strong advocate of being a SAHM and employing good budgeting/saving techniques to facilitate that goal.
And once again, Susannah, here is a cyberspace kick in the heinie slap on the wrist reminding you that you are anything but lazy.
Rose

I don't think I would return home with a sense of fulfillment. I think I would come home exhausted from a real job with the knowledge that everything that didn't get done while I was at work now needed to be done: cleaning, laundry, dinner, time with kids, more cleaning, then somehow having energy for time with hubby.

Jenny

Countdown to baby!!!

Completely You is a syndicated service; it's not written for TNH specifically. The advice Mrs Kay gives is the advice most work-outside women want to hear, and work-outside women are more the target audience for this service since there are more of them than there are of us. I'm sure, in fact, she was asked to give this kind of advice, just as the nutritionist was asked to focus on packaged, allegedly "kid-friendly" foods. I didn't say anything after this piece because I figured y'all were capable of doing it for me. All in all I still like the CY content and plan to continue to use the service--with comments turned on.

Lynn Siprelle, Editor

"Many women don't realize the reality of what they're actually taking home after they deduct childcare expenses and work-outside-the home expenses."... "Now deduct this number from your monthly salary."

Why is it that these articles always instruct that the WOMAN deduct all these expenses from HER salary? Is not childcare an expense for the wife AND the husband? The more logical way to do this, is to take ALL income - both husband's and wife's - add them together, then deduct ALL expenses related to going to work. So if their combined incomes are $60,000 and it costs $8,000 for daycare, and $1,000 for clothing, etc. then THEY take home $51,000.

The type of thinking promoted in this article makes the assumption (by deducting the childcare from the woman's income) that it's the woman's "job" to care for the children - whether or not she is home doing that. I find that assumption rather insulting for both me and my spouse, and very "Dark Ages"!