What do you find stressful about being a stay at home mom?

Question

What do you find stressful about being a stay at home mom?

Answer 1

Absolutely no free time!

Answer 2

The people who say "you are so lucky, I would love to have all of that free time"

I couldn't tell you the last time I had "free" time, toddlers are handfulls!

Answer 3

hmmm, id have to say i miss the complete freedom to do what i want when i want, but im happy i get to be with my babies because i know theirs so many women who wish they could stay home with their children and cant. it is a hard job but its worth it.

Answer 4

I stay at home with my kids...have arranged my whole life so that I could, and I love that. I also now work from home, on my computer. So my biggest stressor?

Hubby!

"I work out in the street all day (he's a self-made contractor). I bring home the bucks...I'm the boss!"

Sometimes we laugh at this. And sometimes....

Answer 5

who's your daddy ?

Answer 6

It's stressful because it's boring!  lol!  The lack of challenge defintely was an issue!  

I actually think the worst part about it was the jealousy of working moms.  I felt bad that they had to go to work while I stayed home and enjoyed my family.  

But, I felt proud I had time to make homemade baby food, etc.

Answer 7

I love being able to be home with my baby, and I try to remind myself that HER CARE is what I am home for, not to be the perfect housekeeper, as the housekeeping is the stressful part.

It is frustrating that I have to quietly clean while she naps, and the moment I am done and sit down with a cup of coffee she wakes up...Also in regards to cleaning, nothing gets done completely.  I wash the dishes, but can't do the counters and sweep the floor until a few hours later, or I can dust and vacuum tomorrow...that is kind of annoying, but I have learned to live with it.

The lack of interaction with adults.  Many of my friends are not mothers or are working mom's, so it is hard to find another SAHM to connect with.

Someone else said the lack of appreciation.  It is so true.  Coming from being a professional for a large corporation, I was used to praise for a job well done, that no longer exists. I joke with hubby that he will have to have quarterly recognition events for my diaper changing skills!!

Also, the fact that many wish they were SAHM's, so if I do have a hard day and want to vent, I generally don't get much empathy.

But like many have said, I wouldn't give it up for the world.  The kitchen will sparkle one day, the laundry will get into the drawers soon, but she will only be a baby once, and I will enjoy it!!!

Answer 8

Not being able to go to work.........lol. It's not hard. When I was a kid, my mom went to work and cleaned. Oh yeah, she never complained about it ( like some people, wink wink ).

Answer 9

I am a stay at home mom to an 8 month old.  I am a very engaging mom and play with her on the floor a lot. I give her her own time to play alone, but since I'm with her so much, she wants to be near me all the time. So what I find most challenging is how to clean the house with her wanting to me with me so much. Often times I have to clean when she's asleep, leaving me hardly any time for myself! But, it is worth it!

Answer 10

i'm not a full time stay at home mum.  i run a dance school so my hours are only 3 - 8 Monday to Friday.  but from 6:30am i am a mum, house cleaner, cook,  etc.  the most stressful part of the stay home mum is dealing with the husband that tries to play the i work from 6 to 4 everyday so i shouldn't have to help out the house chores.  he is happy to sit and watch our daughter while i'm at work but refuses to wash a few dishes or pack up the toys she played with.  

stay at home mums do so much more than any other occupation i know.  running my business is easier than being a mum.  when i go to work that is me getting a break from my other millionaire jobs.

Answer 11

Well, it was a lot of years ago ... but ...

It's the hardest job there is!

Isolation ... I missed adult conversation and adult activities.  

Thanklessness ... no one says "Good job" for changing diapers and wiping up baby-barf!

Repetition ... one day was just like the next like the next like the next ................

Those are just a few things.  I think what's most stressful is that you just never get time off!  It's not a 9-to-5 ... you don't clock in and clock out ... and people say things to you like, "Oh, but you don't actually WORK ..."

HA!  It's WORK ... and you don't get paid for it.

Answer 12

boinkin the mailman

Answer 13

having to do laundry. cleaning the house dishes. without all that i'd be more relaxed. its hard. but we get through it.

Answer 14

The constant cleaning and the I'm hungry all the time. The I just want to go to the toilet on my own, nah that wont happen the 1yr old sits out the door crying, or the I want to watch my tv shows!

Answer 15

I am a stay at home mom. I have a 3,2, and 7 month old. I have been a stay at home mom for 3 years and I get stressed and frustrated is the isolation in the house, being cooped up all the time. I cannot keep my kids out of NOTHING, I have lock all the bedroom doors, put child gates up and they still get through. My daughter 3, she knows how to unlock the door from the outside by placeing a flat object and turning lol, and my son he is going through the terrible 2 stage right now omg its awful with boys..they are worse than girls i think! Cleaning and cleaning and seems like nothing has improved only got worse...being a stay at home mom is the hardest job there is I dont care what they say! I love it but it is so hard being around kids 24 7 with no break..

Answer 16

Yes I totally agree with the first poster. Constant cleaning!  and also, finding time for me to wind down.

Answer 17

I'm probably going to get a lot of thumbs down for my answer but I am a nanny and I totally understand how frustrating it is be at home with the kids everyday. It seems like once you clean up the house 5 minutes later it's trashed and having to clean while the kids are asleep and not having time to relax.

But the lady I work for would do anything to have the chance to be able to be at home with her kids and not go to work everyday. She feels like she is missing out on a lot. I mean technically she is missing out on half of her kids life since she is gone everyday from 7am to 5pm. It's hard not to but don't gripe about having the chance to take care of your children. They are only little once. Just be glad that you are there to enjoy it. Being a stay at home mom is one of the greatest unappreciated priviledges in the world. Be glad.

Answer 18

I get stressed when my 5month old daughter continuously cries for no reason and I dont know what to do, plus the constant cleaning, changing nappies, washing, feeding, reading, playing, cleaning again, more washing, making playdough, more cleaning.....etc etc. But like everyone else says. it really is all worth it to see that first smile, first giggle, first tear and first steps :)

Answer 19

always having to be at her side to keep her amused. its great but i need to do things around the house.

Answer 20

That once I get something clean the kids just mess it up again!

Answer 21

That I clean the whole house and then within five minutes both my husband and my daughter mess it up.  And because I can never keep my house nice and presentable it makes me depressed (not seriously lol).  Its hard to be houseproud when you cant keep your house clean, and when I've spent all day cleaning and they just mess it up, then I give up and watch tv or go on the internet with a coffee or a glass of wine.  I dont have then energy then to bother with muffins or anything else creative.  Ohwell.  I have seriously designed our new house in my mind (the one we are building)  to fix all the problems this house has.  Like when My husband comes home he is like a clothes tornado, his clothes, coat, and shoes come off in a line from the door to the sofa until he is only in his underwear.  So the new house is going to have a cupboard right by the door with hangers and shelves and drawers.  Coats on hangers, shoes on foot of the cupboard, clothers in draw (so no visitors see them).  No cooperation.....death is threatened.

lol

edit--  yeah!  JSR....don't you hate that.  I'm always saying to my husband that he wouldnt last 5 minutes!

Answer 22

I don't actually find being a Stay At Home Mum stressful at all.

Challenging, without a doubt, but being with my kids day in day out, isn't stressful at all.

I find the fact that my dam at home has over flown because we have had more rain in the past month compared to the rain we have had in the last couple of years, very stressful. But my kids keep me happy. They have a way of making all my troubles disappear, with a simple game of *Cuddles & Kisses*.

I love staying home with them. I just get organised and do it. There are times when it certainly is challenging, but I have a business, that brings me stress, so being with my kids day in day out is awesome.