Stay at Home or Return to Work?

Posted by Brenda Lane Apr 17, 2007

Every new mother must make the decision about whether she should return to work or be a full-time mother. Some mothers, such as single mothers, may not have the choice to stay home if they need the income. Other families may simply not be able to meet their household budget unless both parents work.

However, if you are in a situation where you can choose to either go back to a full-time career or be a full-time mother, there are clearly pluses and minuses to both decisions. Moms who work outside the home often enjoy the addtional income as well as a sense of "projects completed". It can be more difficult for the stay-at-home mother to feel that her daily work is done since there is always another diaper to change and the house doesn't stay clean for very long.

In my latest article due to be published this week, I have highlighted some good reasons to stay home with your children. I am very interested, however, to hear from the other side of the spectrum. If you returned to work, what are some reasons you made that decision? Did you have any misgivings? How have you adjusted to both working and raising your children? Tell us more about your experiences on the discussion forum.

Brenda