Being a Stay at Home Mom : The Ultimate Blessing

I have been blessed so much in my life. I have 2 children a girl and a boy. There are 15 years between the 2 of them. They have been raised very differently from each other despite having the same mother. I was a working single mother when my daughter was little. Now, I’m a stay home mom with my son. This is the ultimate blessing, a dream come true for me.

Being a parent has its challenges whether you are working outside the home or a stay home mom. I am speaking from my experiences only. It is my purpose to tell you my story not to insult or say one is a better than the other. I recognize everyone is different.

Working Mom

My daughter is now 27 years old and is a mother herself. So much has changed from when she was little. I was single, working, and taking care of her then. I think that is all I could handle mentally and physically.

Was it hard?

At the time, I just did what I had to do. If anything came up, for example, how was I going to take care of her while she was on track break from school? I just somehow found a way. It just worked out. As I think back though, I don’t ever want to live like that again, ever. Heck yeah, it was hard, stressful, and lonely.

Mistakes I Made

Like I said earlier, I suffered physically. I was depressed, had thyroid problems, and was overweight. I never took any time out for myself. I did not have a hobby or any kind of extra interests. All I ever did was work, eat, sleep and take care of my daughter. I suffered and in ways so did she. Not that she was neglected but I could not handle anything extra.

She had friends, and she was healthy. We would occasionally have mini vacations. I know I tried to be the best mother I could be. I see all of this in hind sight. Do I feel guilty? Yes, but all in all I did what I thought was the best for her. I cannot change any of it, so let’s move on.

Things I wouldn’t Change

The biggest thing that got me through this chapter of my life was my parents. My mom and step father were a huge blessing to us then. When my daughter was first born they took care of her so I could go back to work. We somehow made it work until I was comfortable enough to let a babysitter take her. They took care of her for short periods of time off and on for most of her life until she was about 13 years old. Because of this, she had an unbreakable bond with them that I would never have given up for the world. I am pretty sure she would say the same thing.

For whatever reason, her dad and I were not meant to be, the fact she had a relationship with her father was so good for her. Like with most daughters and fathers they have had their ups and downs. But I truly think all children need to have a male figure in their life. I don’t care if they are a boy or girl, kids need a male perspective on life.

Stay at Home Mom

When I got pregnant with my son and knew I did not want to raise him without a partner so I married his father. Our marriage lasted only about a year and a half despite the fact I was very much in love with him. He was not the man he should have been. Before I was divorced I found my current husband. He is the man for me (for us) and as far as I am concerned he will always be.

My husband is the best thing to happen to my son and myself. We found a loving, generous, real man. We, the three of us, have been blessed. So much so I am able, for most of my son’s life, to be a stay home mom.

Comparing the Two

I can’t say one way is better than the other. I think my daughter turned out to be a fantastic responsible adult, wonderful mother who has a beautiful soul that shines brightly. I know I played a part in of how she turned out. My son needs me in different ways than my daughter did. It is because of their personalities more than anything else. My son and daughter are very different people. I truly believe the universe gave us what we needed when we needed it and still does.

Blessings

I am now sharing the responsibility with someone. I am less stressed. I can and have grown as a person and a mother. I am doing things for my family I had always dreamed of doing, cooking, being able to send him off to school myself, being home when he gets home from school, seeing milestones of learning, teaching morals and responsibility myself to him and not leaving it up to someone else. These are just a few of the things I just LOVE about being a stay home mom (and wife).

When Momma is happy so is the family.

Thanks for stopping by.
Terri

Hi, Everyone! My name is Terri. I am super excited that Amber has allowed me to be part of Legging N’ Lattes (Don’t you just love the name!). I wear many hats. Along with being a late in life mom, grandma, wife, coffee addict, and Pinterest lover. I also blog at Weatheredfifties.com and offer Virtual Assistant services at TK the VA. The list could go on and on. But I won’t bore you.

If you enjoyed my story about my kids please leave a comment. Amber and I would love to hear from you.