Stay-at-home parenting has always been a controversial topic. Some people believe that it is the best decision for the child, while others think that it stunts their development and limits their opportunities.
Despite the controversy, stay-at-home parenting is becoming more popular, especially among mothers. But sometimes, you may feel like you’re not making much of a difference for your kids.
See why being home with the kids as a stay at home parent matters so much more than your realize.
Why Being Home With the Kids As A Stay At Home Mom Matters
There are many reasons why stay-at-home parenting matters.
- Provides a sense of stability for the kids. They know that they can always come home to you and that you will be there for them.
- Allows you to develop a closer relationship with your children and get to know them better.
- Gives you more control over your child’s environment.
- Allows you to monitor their development more closely.
- Saves you money in the long run.
The bottom line is that being home with your kids as a stay-at-home parent matters more than you realize.
If you’re feeling like you’re not making a difference as a stay-at-home mom, rest assured that you are. Your children will thank you for it one day, even if they want to go to school!
How Being A Stay At Home Mom Matters
Being a stay-at-home mom is not an easy job. It takes a lot of hard work and dedication. However, the rewards are definitely worth it. I remember when my ex-husband first abandoned us. The kids and I ended up in a homeless shelter.
After he left, I’ll NEVER FORGET my very first thought that ran through my head:
Will I be able to continue homeschooling my kids? Will I be able to continue being a stay-at-home mom?
They were just babies at the time. My son was around 6-9 months old. My daughter around 1 1/2-2 years old.
I didn’t know how I’d be able to make it. I can’t work full-time AND invest in my kids lives. And I didn’t HAVE my kids in order to just leave them with a stranger all day. Child care is perfectly fine if you find the right fit, but I was all in as a mother. *I* wanted to be the ones to raise them. *I* wanted to be there for their first step, the first time they rolled over, all those precious moments you never get back. I wanted to be there for all their firsts.
But it seemed hopeless. There’s no way I could. I didn’t make any money of my own. My ex-husband stole my debit card so I didn’t have any access to money at all, I literally had NOTHING. No access to money, my mom was in another state (he had moved us to another state to ditch me, adding to the hurt and pain).
How could I POSSIBLY stay home with my kids?!
I tell you the truth, WHERE there is a will, there’s a way. If you want something to happen bad enough, there is nothing on this earth (outside of the power of God) that can stop you.
👉 No demon is strong enough.
👉 No human can prevent you.
👉 No amount of finances can stop you.
NOTHING, outside of God, can stop you. 💯 Not for the heart completely sold out to doing something.
I didn’t know that at the time. 😊 I had no clue. I just knew that I wanted to stay home with my babies. To continue teaching them MYSELF.
We were ALL traumatized by what had happened. The sudden loss of their dad, our sole support. Learning of his multiple affairs, dealing with all the trauma of that. It was a rough time. But when you see your babies faces, how can you leave them? How can you just walk away from it? I couldn’t do it!!
They needed me! NOW more than EVER!!!!
I moved back home, to the state my mom was in, the state we had lived in before we moved.
My first step, was to get a computer. I was able to get access back in our old apartment after I got out of the homeless shelter and got my first apartment on my own (with no money down- praise the Lord).
I got a kind friend from the church and we drove to the state I was ditched in and grabbed my computer and all of our belongings, whatever we could fit in a truck and brought it back to my new apartment. I tell you the truth, I was incredibly blessed! 🙌
My next step was just to pay back the homeless shelter for all they did for me. I didn’t have money, but I could offer them (and in turn, God) my time. So, I started seeing curb alerts and free yard sale leftovers and I was picking things up for them. What they couldn’t use, didn’t need (and I knew what they needed very well because I had lived there), I found myself needing some things.
We didn’t have any silverware or anything like that. When I went back to my old apartment to gather my stuff, I took ONLY what belonged to me and the kids. I didn’t touch any of the joint belongings (like silverware, pots/pans, etc.) I was just soooo thankful to have OUR stuff as it was SOOOO needed. Clothes, diapers, toys, etc.
So I was able to get silverware and things like that, from yard sale left overs and free curb alerts. Over time, I was able to supply all our needs (#1) and then I was given things by the church (#2) and the rest, I had to purchase used with the little bits of money I was starting to make (#3) (from reselling those yard sale leftovers that I couldn’t use or that the homeless shelter didn’t need), after tithes of course. 😊
I learned very well, even while so dirt poor, to be a generous and giving person, because so many people had given to me and helped me when I truly needed it.
Finally, I was making barely enough to survive, $700/month, by reselling. I was doing all the stuff while my babies were taking naps, sleeping at night, etc. Trying hard to balance everything and make a way for ourselves. I cut my kids hair, I was teaching them homeschooling, and we were getting to a point of stability. 😊
I had an old TV I got by the dumpster that still worked, at our apartment complex, and some videos that were from a yard sale leftover to teach my son Baby Einstein; he loved them.
I was teaching my daughter through things like puzzles, her ABCs, etc. things I got, again, from yard sale leftovers and free curb alerts.
We were cooking together, doing everything together, as a FAMILY. While broken, we REMAINED a family!!!
Those are my roots.
That’s where I came from.
From nothing, to everything you see today.
I tell you again…I’m gonna cry…NOTHING is impossible for you if you truly want it to happen. NOTHING. Not for the determined heart.
Was it hard? YES! Absolutely. But I had Christ, I had a church, I had the homeless shelter, and I had my mom to help me (not financially) but she could watch the kids when I needed to get something or do something.
I was able to get through all that.
Whatever it is that you are facing today, no matter WHAT your situation, I’m here to tell you that you CAN put your family first and have the life that YOU want. You CAN be home with them, on ANY income, if that’s what you really want to do.
So why does it matter? Do I regret that decision I made so long ago?
Absolutely not! 💯💯💯
It was the best decision I made. I’ve not regretted it. Even today, as my kids are now teens, still as a single mom, STILL home with them, my heart for them has not changed. I still desire to be with them, still desire to be a family (even without a husband we are STILL a family!) and that’s the life I’ve given them.
I’ve worked EXTREMELY HARD the last decade+ in order to provide for them on my own. And God is gracious to us. Oh how good He is to us! 🥰 He has allowed me to be home with them. And I’ve not had to work outside the home in all of that time (except for one month right at the beginning).
Is it worth it? You bet your bottom dollar it is! Here are some of the benefits of being a stay-at-home parent…
You get to spend more time with your kids and watch them grow up
Being a parent is one of the most rewarding experiences life has to offer. Although it can be challenging at times, watching your children grow and develop is an incredible journey. One of the best parts of being a parent is getting to spend time with your kids. They may not always be eager to spend time with you (depending on their age), but those moments are precious nonetheless. You get to see them learn and grow, and you play an important role in their development.
In addition to spending time with your kids, you also get to watch them grow up. It’s amazing how quickly they change and develop personalities of their own (that’s fun to watch them grow in!) and how much they learn in just a few short years. Being a parent is a demanding job, but it’s also one of the most rewarding experiences you’ll ever have here on earth.
You have more control over your child’s environment and can monitor their development more closely
As a parent, you want what is best for your child. You want them to be safe, happy, and to have every opportunity to succeed. One of the best ways to ensure that your child has all of these things is to raise them yourself.
When you are the one in charge of their environment, you can make sure that it is safe and nurturing. You can also monitor their development more closely, which can help you identify any potential problems early on.
Additionally, raising your child yourself gives you the opportunity to instill your own values and beliefs. In other words, you have a chance to shape them into the person you want them to be. While we cannot control other people, not even our own children, we CAN teach them right from wrong and about God from the get-go.
All of this means that, as a parent, you have a great deal of control over your child’s future when you raise them yourself.
You don’t have to worry about childcare costs
Being a stay-at-home parent has its pros and cons, but one of the biggest advantages is not having to worry about childcare costs. According to a 2017 report from the National Association of Child Care Resource & Referral Agencies, the average cost of center-based care for an infant in the United States is nearly $9,000 per year. For a family with two working parents or a single mama like me, that expense can take a serious toll on the budget.
However, stay-at-home parents can save thousands of dollars by providing care for their children themselves. In addition, staying at home can provide invaluable bonding time between parent and child. Though it’s not always easy (take breaks when you need them!), being a stay-at-home parent can be a rewarding experience in many ways.
You can bond with your kids and develop a closer relationship with them
Although being a stay-at-home parent can be challenging at times (think: teenage years!), it can also be incredibly rewarding. One of the biggest benefits is that you have the opportunity to develop a close bond with your kids.
You’re there to see all their firsts, from their first steps to their first words. You’re also there to help them through the tough times, whether it’s a skinned knee or a broken heart.
As a result, you have the chance to develop a deep and lasting relationship with your kids. And although it takes a lot of patience and hard work, being a stay-at-home parent is one of the most rewarding experiences you can have.
These are just some of the benefits for being a stay-at-home mom. Of course, every family is different and there are many other factors to consider. But if you think staying at home with the kids isn’t having much of an impact on their life, think again!
Why Being A Stay At Home Parent is One of the Most Important Jobs You Can Do
As any parent knows, raising kids is a full-time job. But for stay-at-home parents, it can be easy to feel like you’re not really doing anything all day. After all, you’re just hanging out at home with the kids, right? Wrong. As it turns out, being a stay-at-home parent is one of the most important jobs you can do. Here’s why:
For starters, you’re the primary caretaker of your children. That means you’re the one who’s responsible for their physical AND emotional needs.
You’re the one who feeds them, clothes them, and bathes them. You’re also the one who cuddles with them when they’re sad, comforts them when they’re scared, and celebrates with them when they’re happy. In other words, you play a vital role in their development.
You’re also the biggest influence in your children’s lives.
Think about it: who do your kids spend more time with, you or someone else? Who do they look up to more, you or someone else? Who do they learn from more, you or someone else? It’s clear that as a parent, you have a lot of influence in your children’s lives. And that means you have a responsibility to help them grow into responsible, well-rounded adults.
So, if you’re a stay-at-home parent, don’t discount the importance of your job. The Bible SAYS it’s important and God has called us women to be the main providers to our children. Are there exceptions? Of course. Maybe your husband is sick or injured and can’t work and so he’s taking over caring for the children right now. No problem. But being a mother is a rewarding gift to WOMEN.
You may not be getting a paycheck or get the accolades you want, but you’re doing some of the most important work there is, things that last well into future generations!!!
Why Being Home With the Kids As A Stay At Home Mom Matters More Than You Realize
The bottom line is that the work of stay-at-home moms is more important than we give it credit for. It’s not just a matter of keeping kids fed and clothed—it’s a full-time job shaping the character, intellect, and emotional well-being of the next generation in ways that paid work never could.
Thank you for all that you do! 🥰
By being a godly mother, you ARE pleasing the Lord. Does it stop there? No. He calls us to become like the Proverbs 31 woman. She is our standard, so there IS more. But the foundation of all that IS being a mom!
