My kids are both school age, but I don't plan on going back to work any time soon. I find that I need to be around now, more than ever actually.

Thankfully I don't need to worry about the financial aspect of things and I realize that I am very fortunate. If I was to go back to work, I know I could find something fun...sometimes I think about going to Culinary School or getting my Masters Degree.

I do work that my kids are in school. I work at school. I am a yard duty (the nag telling the kids to be careful, don't hang upside down on the bars, etc). I am not going to get rich doing this job, but I do make a little bit of "mad money" this way. I feel fortunate to be able to get to know all of my kids friends and the staff at school. Eventhough it's not supposed to be this way, the staff is nicer to your kid if they know who their mom is.

I'm already being asked this ALL THE TIME and my youngest just turned one. Please. I don't know. It depends on our lives at the time. DH does fine for us, so it's not about money. I do miss being someone important, but I just can't imagine going back to my former life of working 60 hours a week in the business I worked in. Too much. I'ld never see my kids.

If I went back - my kids could go to a nice private school. If I stay home - my kids can go to the great public school we live by, and I can be super-involved, help with homework, cook nutritious meals, etc. If I went back to my old job, I would come home when they were getting put to bed by the person I would have to hire to take care of them.

I know it sounds snotty - but you've had a higher paying job, it seems like a waste of my time to take a hourly-paying job and I am not cut out to teach. Thank god there are people who love to teach, but I think too many moms get into it just to have the same schedule as their kids, and they are not really good teachers.

Just the thought of having time to run errands, cook, clean, do laundry and maybe - just maybe - have time for myself, while the kids are at school is REALLY appealing. I feel like I could be there for them 100% when they got home and they would be able to do whatever extra-curricular activities they wanted to do. Plus, I have some friends with junior high age kids, and they say that they are needed more than ever in those years - just to make sure the kids stay on the right path. I guess I'll see..............................

My dd just started kindergarten and my dd is going to start Mom's Day Out 5 days a week tomorrow because my dh was off work for an injury for a year and I got a job where I worked a few times a few years ago. I was only to work until my dh went back to work but they offered me a more flexible part time position and a very small raise. I'm actually contract labor so I have to pay in taxes at the end of the year and after taking out taxes and how much my dd's MDO is going to cost I'm literally making almost $5 an hour...yes you heard right!!

So why did I take the job???

They are the kind of company that will pay for my school later on and you most likely wont ever get fired. You start at the bottom and just work your way up. It is a small oil and gas company so I get a lot of experience working closely with all the different parts of the office. That will help me later on if I want to go to another company, I wont just be stuck knowing one postition. I love where I work but I do miss my kids!! I wont lie!

Another reason I took the job is because I only work 8-2 so I can drop off my younger dd at MDO at 8 pick her up at 2 and go get my older dd from school at 3.(My dh drops off my older dd on his way to work.)

Sorry this was so long but I just wanted you to know if you love the job, money isn't always the biggest factor...it always helps but it shouldn't be your only deciding factor!

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Stephanie

I am planning to go back to work when both of my boys are in school full time. I have been going to school to be a dental hygienist for the past two years (still two more to go!). My husband was laid off from a very good paying job three years ago, and it has been difficult since then. He does have a job, got it pretty quick, after only three months I think, but the pay is less than half what he was making. I want to be there for my kids, and I don't like the thought of day care, so I'm waiting till they are in school, and my hours will be about what theirs are in school.

I worked , when I had my oldest son, for the most part. I was a SAHM for 9 yrs, and have been some more, even after the boys went back to school, full time. I work in the Air National guard part time, usually, but am working full time( 4-days, 10 hr days, and a 3-day weekend) at least till October. My career field is a dental assistant, depends on the office if it pays that well. In the past, I didn't work, because I felt the boys needed me at home, and daycare wouldn't have been worth while to say te least. Juat weigh the pro's & Con's of the situation. I liked being with my boys at home, they did get use to me being around. When I started back to work, it was different for them, me not being at home, that much anymore. I don't know, what will happen after September is over with, I will have to see.

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As I will have a baby tomorrow, I am far from actually facing this decision, but I think I have already made it. In line with the thread treehugger started, my evenings and weekends are not for laundry. I am educated and had a successful ten year career prior to quitting work to stay home. I could certainly make enough money to offset the price of working (and enough to build that deck and remodel the kitchen and and buy that Buick Rendezvous, and a bunch of other nonsense). However, said income could not offset how valuable my time at home is. I am involved at the school, drive for field trips, am home in the afternoon to monitor cookie intake and Play Station usage. Thankfully my husband makes a good living, and there are never arguments about money in this house. Our priorities are for sure ironed out. Some day I could see working part time at the school or even running a cash register at the local Apple Market. But rejoining the rat race and driving to the city every day, working into the dinner hour and being unreachable to teenagers? Nah, I don't need the new Buick that bad.

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The more people have studied different methods of bringing up children the more they have come to the conclusion that what good mothers and fathers instinctively feel like doing for their babies is best after all.
- -- Benjamin Spock