A typical conversation of parents at home:
Person X: So what do you do for a living? Parent at home: I am with my children, I do what I love all day long and I'm happy. Person X: Oh, uh, your work? (Implying that we are defined by our role, our work, when it's just a label, a role and we are more than that.) Parent at home: Uh, I'm a family manager (hey it's nice said like that!)... Person X: (Question marks in the eyes.) Parent at home:... a parent at home, I stay home to raise my children. Possible answers: Person X: ''A what? (You repeat) What's that? '' ''(...). (Questions himself, tells himself it must be because you're mormon(my note: no offense!) or have no money. Take pity on you, will not discuss the subject anymore...) The weather's nice eh!'' ''You have to be busy with your children... but what do you do all day? '' ''Are you bored being home all the time?'' ''When will you return to work? '' ''Oh lucky you! You got time, you're home!'' Parent at home: ''(Feels obliged to detail his life.) It's by choice, yes it's fun, yes it is work, no I do not think of returning to work, we're not always at home, I've got as much time as you in a day one we just have to manage it well! (Would like others to be happy for him and that they see it's great most of the time: there is no set schedule, you can enjoy the nice weather, you're there for your child, it is natural, yes you can be accomplished in this role, etc.).''
It's really after making the choice to stay at home that we realize the prejudices or lack of information on this function in our society. Yet it is the most practised job through time and it is still important around the globe! Fortunately, this role can really make us happy and we can stop these questions, both in the minds of others than in ours with those that present themselves which make us doubt that this is the right choice, by passing the information on what is actually being a parent at home.
A tour on being a blissful parent at home...
Who?
Parents at home nowadays are those of a new lifestyle. Through time, typically at least one parent would care for children at home, at least until they entered school when it existed. The baby boomers saw women leave the house but often after being housewives, when children are older. In our days, stay at home parents of generations X and Y are not so numerous, but they do it by choice, measuring the benefits of doing so. They are mostly mothers, but also fathers, about 100,000 in Canada who like to combine this role with a work from home and are equally competent (as related in an article by Jean-Franois Gazaille). Parents who decide to stay at home put on hold their careers, or do it part time from home spending most of their time with their children. In short, it is an alternative to the hectic life of two parents working away from home, a chosen way of life, and it is a return to cohesive and natural values that were forgotten by an individualistic and materialistic society.
We could advance that more and more of the new parents of Generation Y, born in about 1980 to 1995, will choose to stay home because for them work is not the most important, even if the influence of the family has diminished in favour of peers, and they seek an alternative to flourish, take care of their children and have a better quality of life:
Unlike their parents, young people of Generation Y do not put work first. They refuse to work during holidays and weekends (except student employment) and want time off to decompress, because the mental and physical health appears to be their priority. They seek a better quality of life, balancing work and personal interest. (French Wikipedia, Generation Y).
What?
You are now at stay at home mom or dad, you have many varied tasks. Being a parent at home is like running a small business with love. From pregnancy to support throughout the life of the child, the parent at home juggles with giving love and attention to the whole family, education and discipline, needs, inventory management such as food, clothing and necessary activities, being a life coach, being available almost 24 hours on 24, 7 / 7. Yes, sometimes it's demanding, but yes you can also take it easy at times. Everything depends on your one income salary, the quality of your management, your choices and your attitude in life.
Person X: So what do you do for a living? Parent at home: I am with my children, I do what I love all day long and I'm happy. Person X: Oh, uh, your work? (Implying that we are defined by our role, our work, when it's just a label, a role and we are more than that.) Parent at home: Uh, I'm a family manager (hey it's nice said like that!)... Person X: (Question marks in the eyes.) Parent at home:... a parent at home, I stay home to raise my children. Possible answers: Person X: ''A what? (You repeat) What's that? '' ''(...). (Questions himself, tells himself it must be because you're mormon(my note: no offense!) or have no money. Take pity on you, will not discuss the subject anymore...) The weather's nice eh!'' ''You have to be busy with your children... but what do you do all day? '' ''Are you bored being home all the time?'' ''When will you return to work? '' ''Oh lucky you! You got time, you're home!'' Parent at home: ''(Feels obliged to detail his life.) It's by choice, yes it's fun, yes it is work, no I do not think of returning to work, we're not always at home, I've got as much time as you in a day one we just have to manage it well! (Would like others to be happy for him and that they see it's great most of the time: there is no set schedule, you can enjoy the nice weather, you're there for your child, it is natural, yes you can be accomplished in this role, etc.).''
It's really after making the choice to stay at home that we realize the prejudices or lack of information on this function in our society. Yet it is the most practised job through time and it is still important around the globe! Fortunately, this role can really make us happy and we can stop these questions, both in the minds of others than in ours with those that present themselves which make us doubt that this is the right choice, by passing the information on what is actually being a parent at home.
A tour on being a blissful parent at home...
Who?
Parents at home nowadays are those of a new lifestyle. Through time, typically at least one parent would care for children at home, at least until they entered school when it existed. The baby boomers saw women leave the house but often after being housewives, when children are older. In our days, stay at home parents of generations X and Y are not so numerous, but they do it by choice, measuring the benefits of doing so. They are mostly mothers, but also fathers, about 100,000 in Canada who like to combine this role with a work from home and are equally competent (as related in an article by Jean-Franois Gazaille). Parents who decide to stay at home put on hold their careers, or do it part time from home spending most of their time with their children. In short, it is an alternative to the hectic life of two parents working away from home, a chosen way of life, and it is a return to cohesive and natural values that were forgotten by an individualistic and materialistic society.
We could advance that more and more of the new parents of Generation Y, born in about 1980 to 1995, will choose to stay home because for them work is not the most important, even if the influence of the family has diminished in favour of peers, and they seek an alternative to flourish, take care of their children and have a better quality of life:
Unlike their parents, young people of Generation Y do not put work first. They refuse to work during holidays and weekends (except student employment) and want time off to decompress, because the mental and physical health appears to be their priority. They seek a better quality of life, balancing work and personal interest. (French Wikipedia, Generation Y).
What?
You are now at stay at home mom or dad, you have many varied tasks. Being a parent at home is like running a small business with love. From pregnancy to support throughout the life of the child, the parent at home juggles with giving love and attention to the whole family, education and discipline, needs, inventory management such as food, clothing and necessary activities, being a life coach, being available almost 24 hours on 24, 7 / 7. Yes, sometimes it's demanding, but yes you can also take it easy at times. Everything depends on your one income salary, the quality of your management, your choices and your attitude in life.
