Many stay-at-home parents who responded felt that, by staying home with their children, their kids were benefiting by developing faster.
- Sheila wrote:
"The benefits were the reassurance that comes with knowing my son received all the love and attention he needed. To know that he was learning at a maximum rate because I had the time to devote to his developing intellect. To have the time to photograph every wonderful event, and some ordinary times too, to treasure forever. To share every minute of every day with the only child I'd be able to have was extremely important for me personally. To nurse him through every illness, and to breastfeed him as long as I wanted without pressure from anyone, or from a demanding job. The list goes on and on."
- And from Laura:
"I am a stay home mom of a very active 10 month old girl. Many times I have been told that she would not be doing half of what she is doing, or as early as she is doing if I did not stay home".
- Finally, from Monica again:
"I am not rushed all the time and I am not tired all the time from working. I can give her the time she deserves instead of cramming in time here and there. I can take time with her to take her to actually teach her things. She did everything early from eating, talking to walking. Children are an investment. It is up to the individual as to what they want to do with their children. We only have them for a short while. It is worth the extra work! I am more tired now staying home because the job is 24 hours instead of 10 but it is really worth it. My daughter goes to Parents Day out Once a week. The teachers all remark on how well-adjusted she is and mannerly. They constantly remark, "You must be a stay at home Mom"".
I wish I could just copy all the emails I received for this article. But I'm afraid the article would get too long. So, instead, I will just print some excerpts from the emails that I thought were particularly touching.
- Joy wrote:
"Being a stay-at-home mom now for 11 years, .... I love being an at home mom. I think it is the most important job in the world. I never had my children so that another person could raise them or see their first step or hear their first words!! I could never imagine not being there for that. I want my values instilled in my children. I want them to know it was me who raised them-that their mom was there when she was needed."
- Finally, another stay-at-home mom wrote:
" To me the best part of staying home is that I've blossomed as a person. Before, I worked 8-5, hurried to fix supper, do household stuff and collapse to rest for the next day. Now life is busy, but I get to do things I want to do, be with my kids, and participate more actively in my community. I volunteer with the Red Cross, participate in more activities with my church, and meet lots of new people with my children."