Being a stay-at-home parent has its pros and cons as it provides a person with the possibility to spend some more time with their kid, seeing them grow and change in front of their eyes. But often times it does mean that a person has to sacrifice their career or a workplace that they perhaps really enjoy and want to invest more of their time in for better benefits in the future. It does seem like a hard decision to make, as many know that it's a tough call. Having this in mind, Reddit user @u/nnsnekdnd decided to ask others online what they think about the situation that he and his wife got themselves into. The post that received 23.5k upvotes soon was filled with various points of view and experiences that other people online thought were worth sharing.
More Info: Reddit
Many parents would give a lot to be able to spend as much time as possible with their kids
Image credits: Still Vision (not the actual image)
The author of the post revealed that his wife wants to quit her job and become a stay-at-home mom because of their 4-year-old daughter. The woman shared that she wants to spend some more time with their daughter instead of just leaving her at a daycare. While the man was quite supportive of this decision, it made him think about the practical side of this deal, realizing that if he becomes the sole breadwinner of the family, it means that he would have to take more hours at work in order to earn more money and his wife would have to take on more responsibilities at home.
Reddit user wanted to know if he was wrong to expect his wife to cover all the work at home while being a stay-at-home mom
Image credits: u/nnsnekdnd
Once the man's wife shared that she wants to stay at home with their daughter, he started thinking about how this would work, suggesting she would then have to take care of the house
Image credits: u/nnsnekdnd
When the husband shared his concerns with his wife, telling her that she would then have to take care of the household and not always rely on him doing some of the chores as he will be at work, the woman said that she isn’t going to be “a housekeeper”, blaming her husband for being “lazy and discriminative against women”. The man was quick to assure her that he isn’t like that, it’s just that he already knows that he won’t be able to be useful at home because of all the extra work he will have to put in to make this deal work.
The woman didn't like his plan, as she thought that she shouldn't be treated as a "housekeeper"
Image credits: u/nnsnekdnd
This whole situation made the man think about the way he said things and the whole conversation in question, thinking that perhaps he wasn’t actually right in this case. But a lot of people online agreed with his thoughts, assuring him that when a person decides to stay at home and take care of the kids, they usually also make sure that the house is taken care of. Some even noticed that at this point, their 4-year-old daughter shouldn’t be considered so little that she can’t do anything herself and needs intensive care. What are your thoughts on this situation? Don’t forget to leave your thoughts in the comments down below!
The husband only suggested this because he knew that with his extra hours at work, he won't be able to help much around the house
Image credits: Joe St.Pierre (not the actual image)
So what are the rest of the pros and cons that would help people to make a decision to become a stay-at-home parent? According to Verywell Family, by choosing to raise their kid and stay at home, a parent contributes to their kid’s better performance at school because of their involvement in their son’s or daughter’s education. Its also noted that kids who have spent more time with their parents feel less stressed and are more comfortable with others. Being around your child leads parents and kids to have better, more honest and involved relationships. A choice to become a stay-at-home parent also serves as a great example for other, more hesitant parents.
Now the Reddit user is curious to know if what he said was really that bad
Image credits: u/nnsnekdnd
What are some of the cons that follow being a stay-at-home parent? While one of the main factors that stops people from staying at home is the lesser amount of income, there are other things that might make a person second-guess their decision. For those who put a lot of effort into starting a successful career or wanting to achieve certain personal goals, taking time to raise a kid might seem like a burden or a thing that stops them from fulfilling their dreams. The isolation that a parent might feel when left taking care of a household and raising a child can even lead them to depression or unwanted bursts of anger.
This post encouraged a lot of other people online to share their own thoughts on the situation
Image credits: Per Gosche (not the actual image)
Many people sided with the husband, stating that what he's asking is a normal thing
However, some people thought that the man's desire not to do any chores during the work week seemed silly
Image credits: u/nnsnekdnd
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