How Much Is A Mom At Home Worth?

By: Jessica Franks.

The everyday life of stay-at-home moms requires a spirit and readiness that many do not possess. No handbook is handed out, no rigid rules of the day, no set-in-stone schedules. This is a hands-on, learn-as-you-go position. Qualifications are many, patience and sense of humor mandatory.

A lot of people ask what is a realistic income for a stay at home mom? Some people may argue whether or not it is a real job. You know since there are no benefits, no breaks, no benefits or paid vacations. But, in my point of view it is a real job. It is just as demanding as any other job if not more. Instead of your boss sitting in his office behind a desk barking orders at everyone that passes by. Your boss is crawling around between your legs pulling at your clothes, whining, crying, demanding more attention all while your are cooking, cleaning, handling finances, paying bills, organizing the family vacation, managing the grocery list, checking email, doing laundry, organizing clothes, preparing a dinner plan, making space for you other to come home from school or daycare so they can do their homework, etc, etc, etc...

Although some believe this to be easy work, but transplant one corporate woman into the home for entire day of childcare and household workings, and odds are good she'd run more than happily back to the office the following day! In the corporate world, the woman's needs come first, but at home, the child's needs are prevelant. This is a day in, day out position and it's demands are endless. The job isn't complete when the clock draws upon a certain hour. This job is for life.

Before we can begin to consider a realistic income for stay-at-home moms, let's consider a few more of the realities of the position. What gets done or doesn't get done, remains in place into the following day. This is a one-woman operation! All decisions rest on mom, severely guided by the little ones. There is no one to ask for a day off, or to request early leave. Everything revolves around the care and needs of the children.

Stay-at-home moms are miracle-workers by their own right. There are no clerks to make phone calls (to the doctor), no cleaning service that comes in and performs miracles after everyone else leaves. No catering service to tend to nutrition, no organization team. The innumerable roles in the outside world they fill in their seemingly large inner world would have to include plumber, maid, cook, banker, accountant, teacher, nursemaid, student, waitress, driver, nurse, and problem solver. Certainly, one can easily call to mind other roles as well. And in addition to all these talents and abilities, these same stay-at-home moms who do countless things each day change hats and become wives as well.

Our day as stay-at-home moms begins earlier than most jobs. The attire isn't as luxourious, nor as expensive, but it sure is comfortable for the duties needing to be tended to in the long hours ahead. And that is to say, the duties that actually get performed. Prioritizing is our number one ability. And while there is no timeclock to punch when we begin, there isn't any time to punch out either. Instead of sitting in traffic, we sit in waiting rooms at the doctor's office. Next thing we know, much of what was on the to-do list isn't done, but the hours of the day have evaporated somehow.

In reality, earning additional income while being at home with children and tending to the running of the household is not very practical. Five minutes of attention not devoted to one \"must-do\" or another is rarely found throughout the day. And if the option to earn money from home were as simple as some would have you believe, then certainly most people would opt to remain at home and work. No, there just isn't any feasibility in this idea. All things more important come first, and next on the list comes two minutes to sit and catch one's breath, not concerns over a few random dollars that might be earned instead.

In my opinion, about $15,000 per year, or more, depending on the number of children at home, would be somewhat of a realistic income for a stay-at-home mom. Some may argue, finding this amount to be too excessive. But even moms like to feel pampered from time to time, to be tended to, rather than always performing the tending. We like to smell nice and maybe even get a very rare afternoon to have lunch with the girls. We have to feel good about ourselves in order to do the fantastic job we do, rearing the world's future generation. Of course, the best form of payment is the daily kind: watching our kids grow, and being there with them, every step of the way. But still, a bit of monetary recognition wouldn't hurt either. Let's hear from all the stay-at-home moms and those who love them who agree.

Article Source: http://www.yesparenting.com/articles

If you are looking to make extra money from home, then make sure you check out Jessica's free movie about jobs for stay at home moms, and work for stay home moms.

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