Would you quit if you could?

April - posted on 10/16/2011

I would love to quit my job and stay home with my son. I miss him all the time. Sometimes i actually cry before i go to work at the thought of leaving him .
There is always that feeling of not being able to give him my full attention or love . I hate that , Im hoping in the near future I can stay home once I know we can afford it .

Sheila - posted on 10/13/2011

YES. I stayed home for 12 years and am back teaching this year. It is worth it and not a waste of your time or degree. Put your kids first.

Wendy - posted on 10/10/2011

I was a stay at home mom for my oldest (now 21) until he went to school. I went to work after he started school, then had my now 12 yr old and 10 yr old. Both situations are admirable for sure. However, if I had the choice, I would've definitely stayed home with them all until beginning school. My older one did have the "he knows too much" in kindergarten, but he doesn't have the same social behaviour as my two youngest who had to go to daycare at 6 weeks old so mom could go back to work. They are all great kids and I think that no matter if you work or stay home with them, it's all about what you teach them. As far as myself, I feel like I am the one who benefited the most by getting to stay home. Since I've gotten older and watching my youngest kids growing up...I really feel as if I am missing out on them, instead of the other way around. Maybe I'm wrong about that in a way, but it has worked out that way with my three. But, I would choose to stay home and never miss the chance to watch them grow and help them along. And, I can't imagine that they wont like that!

Rbellis77 - posted on 10/03/2011

I would leave my job without a doubt! Unfortunately, these days people need two incomes to survive.

Rebecca - posted on 09/29/2011

I did quit and I have not regretted a single moment. I always thought I loved my job too much to give it up and I went back part time when my son was 6 months old. However, I found that I could not do both jobs (be a teacher and a mum) to my satisfaction so one had to go.I just felt that I was missing too much that was happening at home with my son and that I just did not have as much time as I wanted to spend with my students after class because I was too eager to get home to my boy! I am extremely happy I did this and now my boy is in playgroup and we have another due in a month I am even more happy with my decision. I count myself extremely lucky to be able to stay at home with my children and plan to start work again, even at a lower salary if necessary, once both my children are at school full time.

Lou Anne - posted on 09/08/2011

I went to part-time Kindergarten teacher which was totally ideal for me. I felt I was a better teacher also, because I a break from the energy it takes to be a good teacher and a good mother. It was very easy to find a part time Kindergarten job because most teachers didn't want part time. I never went back to full time and it is a struggle to make ends meet. But I still feel I make a better teacher when I work part time.

Jamie - posted on 09/06/2011

in a heartbeat!

Miriam - posted on 08/24/2011

I have a 9 year old son and 7 month old twin boys. I did quit when my son was 1 and stayed home for 1 year. I love love love my kids and terribly miss them when Im away, but I acted like it was summer the whole year i was home, it was out and shopping almost every day, so I dont think I should quit!! :+) Unless I can afford to shop and go out all the time with my kids, and not worry about any $. My kids have also always been cared for by me, my husband or my mom, so I dont worry.. It would be totally different if they went to day care.

Casey - posted on 08/22/2011

Yes. I would actively get my toddler into sports, maybe a toddler soccer team and I would join a mommy group and volunteer for neighborhood children charity to keep busy if I got bored. Oh it would be fun once they got into school, the PTA, the field trips, teach him a new language and learn one myself... I would LOVE to be a stay at home mom. But do what you want to do. I would probably get a part time two day a week job just for kicks, then stay home and play a MORE active roll in my son's life.

Louree - posted on 08/19/2011

What company do you work for as an online virtual teacher?

Louree - posted on 08/19/2011

What company do you work for as an online virtual teacher?

Holly - posted on 08/16/2011

no question, i would quit if i could afford it. everyone is different. my sister prefers to work rather than stay home. do what makes you the happiest. your child would rather have a happy mother, than one that stayed home because they thought they had to.

Teresa - posted on 08/15/2011

Heck no! I LOVE my job. I work with a special population so I am close to my students. I miss them terribly and working with college students is such a vacation from my toddler & preteen.

Michele - posted on 08/12/2011

That is a hard question. I love what I do, minus the drama working with other women (girls) half my age. I would say yes, after all my children are out of preschool/Kindergarten. Right now, I have been working for the same company for 6 years. One of my perks is, my daughter is free. I pay no tution, since she goes to preschool, the same place I teach.

Nicole - posted on 08/11/2011

i always thought i would and maybe in a couple of years when my twins (16 months) are older i will change my mind. but i love teaching and i love my girls, but having the summer off has taught me that i am not the stay at home mommy type. right now with the girls being so young there is not much i can do with them. and trying to clean the house is hard cause they only nap for 2 hours, i cant get much done at least not as much as i would like. i get things done in spans such as kitchen one day etc. so no i dont think i would stay at home and i cant afford to

Nicole - posted on 08/11/2011

i always thought i would and maybe in a couple of years when my twins (16 months) are older i will change my mind. but i love teaching and i love my girls, but having the summer off has taught me that i am not the stay at home mommy type. right now with the girls being so young there is not much i can do with them. and trying to clean the house is hard cause they only nap for 2 hours, i cant get much done at least not as much as i would like. i get things done in spans such as kitchen one day etc. so no i dont think i would stay at home and i cant afford to

Nicole - posted on 08/11/2011

i always thought i would and maybe in a couple of years when my twins (16 months) are older i will change my mind. but i love teaching and i love my girls, but having the summer off has taught me that i am not the stay at home mommy type. right now with the girls being so young there is not much i can do with them. and trying to clean the house is hard cause they only nap for 2 hours, i cant get much done at least not as much as i would like. i get things done in spans such as kitchen one day etc. so no i dont think i would stay at home and i cant afford to

Renee - posted on 08/08/2011

I would stop teaching if I could. I have Chronic Pain Syndrome and Fibromyalgia, so that makes me extremely tired, but we can't afford for me to quit right now. Plus I think that if I did stay at home, I would become a slug and not do anything all day long and then I would feel guilty about not having everything done.

Dara - posted on 04/04/2011

I did leave teaching to stay at home with my kids, but I didn't have a permanent contract and I had only two years of teaching in. Without a doubt, I am glad I did it. I tried teaching and raising a toddler, and I missed out on way too much!

Julie - posted on 04/04/2011

Yes. without hesitation. unfortunately we would live on the streets if I didn't' work. ) :

Kareen - posted on 05/10/2010

at first i would have jumped at a yes i would quit, but after some thought i think that i dont really want to be at home as a house mom i just wish the work hours were more reasonable and less stressful, but teaching is what i love doing.

Daniella - posted on 05/02/2010

My job has started affecting my health so much because of the stress, that I have considered quitting. We have a second baby on the way, so there's no way I can quit, yet I have seriously thought about it. I'm starting to feel used with all the demands that the district keeps piling on us as teachers, and we continue to do whatever they say, even though it's killing us. Yes, I'd like to quit, but I can't. I don't think I'd stay home though. That would drive me crazy. My daughter and I butt heads a lot. That wouldn't work. I'd like to get a less stressful juob, but that means a lot less pay, which we can't afford. Hope that answers the question!

Anna - posted on 04/29/2010

I wouldn't quit. My daughter is 5 months old, and I adore her. At the same time, I really feel that teaching is a huge part of who I am, and I wouldn't give it up.

Linda - posted on 04/26/2010

I think I would. I love my job but I do resent the time it takes me away from my boys. I teach maths which is a subject that requires a lot of marking and all of that has to be done when I get the boys to bed. Sometimes I would like to just sit down with a cup of tea and watch TV or go to a step class and know that I have nothing to do when I get home. However, I love working with the all the staff in my department and the majority of the kids are great. Difficult question!!!

Leanna - posted on 04/26/2010

Definitely. I love raising my own children...not having someone else doing it. When you work, you spend most of their waking hours away from them. That is NOT something I would choose! Granted, some days you think you are going crazy, but I would still rather be home with them than working, no matter how much I enjoy teaching.

Linda - posted on 04/24/2010

yes. definitely. I love my job but it sometimes really hard fitting everything in.

Sara - posted on 04/23/2010

This was a tough decision that I faced very recently. After having my daughter in September and going back to work in January, I've had to weigh both sides of the issue. I've decided to stay home next year, and am SOOOO looking forward to it.
Besides being pumped to stay home and be with my little sweetie, it will also give me more time to focus on another passion, my health and wellness business. So I'll be earning money while staying home too! Yay!

Cristina - posted on 04/22/2010

I would LOVE to stay home. I have a 13 year old and now a 15 month old. I wish I could have stayed home with the older one. We bought our house in the boom so it is financially impossible for me to stay home. :( The one bright spot is that I have an in-home provider who only cares for about 7 children and my daughter LOVES it there. She doesn't even cry when daddy drops her off!

Cristina - posted on 04/22/2010

I would LOVE to stay home. I have a 13 year old and now a 15 month old. I wish I could have stayed home with the older one. We bought our house in the boom so it is financially impossible for me to stay home. :( The one bright spot is that I have an in-home provider who only cares for about 7 children and my daughter LOVES it there. She doesn't even cry when daddy drops her off!

Traci - posted on 04/19/2010

The question states: "If you could afford...." I can't afford so the obvious answer is no. However, if I could afford it I would still have to say no. I would probably job share but I've been working since I was a teenager and I tend to do better mentally working. I notice that I get a bit depressed during the summer when I'm not working. It isn't that I don't love my child but I have to have a checks and balances: work and family. I need both.

Nicole - posted on 04/19/2010

If I could afford it I would stay home with my children until they were all in elementary school. I don't like the years I have missed. I feel I have missed many first that I will not get back. I do like the daycare/preschool I send my daughter to because they documented all the first, took pictures with the camera I sent in, and helped give my daughter a great start to school. I also like having a job that ables me to get out and talk to others such as fellow teachers and other mothers about the stages my daughter is going through. All in All I would leave my job though to stay at home with my daughter if I could afford it.

Natalie - posted on 04/18/2010

Being a mom is the best thing I have ever done. That being said, and completely true, the very close second is being a teacher. This is not a job for me. It is truly what God designed me to do. I teach my children, I teach my students. While I obviously love my own children more than I love my students, I do love my students. Being home with my kids during the breaks and days off is wonderful! Part of what makes me the mom I am is the fact that I am a teacher. I could not give up that part of me and still be me.

Cory - posted on 04/18/2010

I would not quite. Due to budget cuts I have recently been layed off along with 24 other people. Jobs are not available in education right now and unless there are big economic changes in this country they won't be for a long time. Class sizes are going up and teachers are being let go. Hang on to that job as long as you can!

Martine - posted on 04/17/2010

Without hesitation!!!! I would prefer assist my own child full time in her development and education. When I have a hard day at school and I come home drained and tired, I feel guilty that I give so much energy in my job and I have less for my child.

Davenia - posted on 04/16/2010

I would love to stay home with my children. I sometimes feel like I have missed out on things and that I need to be there to help them develop. I know this is not true, but it is how I feel. Plus the job is so demanding that sometimes I still miss things and can not give him the quality time that they need. When I went back to work after my son was born, I cried just about every day, then when I got use to being back at work he would wake up and see me leave and he would cry. It would break my heart. It still does and he is 18 months old. So, yes I would stay home.

Kylie - posted on 04/14/2010

I am a teacher too and I struggled with the same problem. I felt the same way as Caryn did when I was pregnant. I even planned my pregnancy so I would be due the last week of school and then I was going to return in the fall. I went back to work and couldn't handle the thought of being away from her even though my husband was the one staying home. I left my job in December and didn't return in January after Holiday. I'm don't plan on going back until she starts school. All of this was not what I expected to do. I really did love my job but I just didn't want to miss anything with my daughter. Everyone is different and you have to decide what works best for your family. good luck

Kritzia - posted on 04/11/2010

Yes, yes and yes!

Jennifer - posted on 04/10/2010

I already did that. My daughter is now 16 years old and I am very proud of her. She became my career. Is the money good? No but the payout is beyond priceless. She is well adjusted and has a good head on her shoulders. She knows she can talk to me about anything and she knows I will be here for her. I am fortunate because I have a husband that makes enough money that I am able to stay home and we can still survive. We also had to make sure to take out a good life insurance policy on my husband so that if something happens to him, I have enough money to be able to get by. Now that she is older, I am taking more jobs but I will never make the type of money that many career women make. I am ok with that because if I was working outside the home, I would be paying someone to care for my child. No one will love a child as much as their parent. No one would care as much about her future as I would. You can't put a price on that.

Siobhan - posted on 04/09/2010

I would quit in a heartbeat! I was fortunate to be able to stay home for the first two years after my son was born. He is now nearly 7, and if I didn't have to work, I absolutely wouldn't. I would love to volunteer in the classroom, or serve as a room mom, accompany his class on field trips, etc. Then I would have time to go work out, like the moms in MY classroom do, take art classes, and have a little peace and quiet to myself.



As for the degrees and certifications that I worked so hard for. . . I still have all that info that I could put to good use on my own child, rather than doling out advice to my students' parents. Besides, I'm earning less than my siblings who don't have degrees!

Lisa - posted on 04/09/2010

In a hearbeat...you can't get back the time you lose with your kids, but there will always be another class at the the age group you teach. You mentioned leaving at a high salary and getting a new job in a few years. You may not get hired at the same salary, but you will likely be hired somewhere. Then you can work your way back up. It might be rough to have a lower salary, but it will be more than when you weren't teaching. I say go for it--I so wish thats what I could do.

Cindy - posted on 04/09/2010

I was extremely blessed, my job bought my seniority 4 months before my first child was born. I stayed home until my 2nd child was 3 and I was asked to teach in her preschool. How lucky can you get!

Mary - posted on 04/09/2010

Absolutely! I would love to be able to spend more time with my son and have more of an opportunity to know what he is experiencing every day. However, working makes me appreciate the time I do get with him on weekends and evenings.

Marie - posted on 04/09/2010

Definitely, I wouldn't even have to think about it!

Lindsay - posted on 04/08/2010

I'd like to stay at home until my all my kids (I only have one, but plan on having at least one more) are school age and then go back full time. For now, I'm just grateful that I have a full year maternity leave with my son. After baby number two, I may consider job sharing or part time if there is a position available.

Mallory - posted on 04/08/2010

Without a doubt! Samantha is 3 weeks old yesterday and I didn't have enough sick days to let me take the rest of the year off. I will be teaching the last 3 weeks of school, which is ok b/c one week of that is finals. I teach high school Agriculture. I would love to stay home with her until she reaches school age. Then I would want to go back teaching. If my husband and I had the means to only have 1 of us working I would MOST definitely stay at home!!

Rachele - posted on 04/08/2010

I would quit without looking back. I did quit with my first child and never regretted it. I was able to see her roll over, sit up, stand up, walk, and talk when she first did it. I spent valuable time reading to her and taking her to the park. I socialized her with other babies by joining a mom's group, where I also, had support. If my husband and I hadn't divorced when she was 11 months, I would have kept being home with her. It was great! Eventually I went back to work teaching preschool, which was quite a drop in pay from what I was making working a corporate job. But that time was wonderful, and I would do it again in a heart beat if I could stay home with my young son. I was disappointed that I had to return to work when he was an infant. I missed a lot of things with him. At least now, he's at the same preschool I work at, so I can spy on him on a regular basis :)

Leischen - posted on 04/07/2010

NO I wouldn't quit. I love teaching kindergarten and with weekends, holidays, and summer I think that gives great stay at home time for my kids. Besides I enjoy working outside my home. It's the best of both worlds.

Pam - posted on 04/07/2010

follow your heart- my advice to you though is in the infertilty field- if you want another child start right away- once your body is working it seems to be able to keep working- the children would be close in age but it's totally worth it!! My two are 16 months apart and the best of friends. Doctors don't usually give this advice but i've heard it several times since it happened to us. The emotional roller coaster is horrible- have fun with trying again- just start right away! Good luck to you with your decision- you'll feek the right thing to do!

Misty - posted on 04/07/2010

I love my kids to death, but could never stay home all day, I enjoy my job and I think my kids benefit from not being with me all of the time. I am happy that some mothers love to stay home and would never judge them for it, as I hope I would not be judged for working outside of the home.

Ana - posted on 04/07/2010

I did quit and I think it was the best decision ever. Nowadays that my son isn't a toddler anymore, I still am a stay at home mom and now I teach one class once a week. It was a tough choice not to keep working back then, but I don't regret it.