In April 2017, I made a commitment to be a stay-at-home parent for the first five years of my son’s life. When my daughter was born in December 2019, I made the same commitment for the sake of equality.
Research shows that the first five years are the most crucial for a child’s development. Supposedly, 90% of a child’s brain develops by age 5. Since I was unemployed anyway, I decided to transition into full-time parent mode.
Now that my daughter is finally starting school full-time in September five years later, I want to reflect on this experience—especially for those of you who are considering giving up your career to be a stay-at-home parent.
Your Probably Shouldn’t Give Up Your Career For Your Kids
Unless your spouse makes a substantial income or you’re already financially independent, giving up your career to raise your child may lead to more stress and conflict than it’s worth. The more ambitious you are, the less you should be a stay-at-home parent.
I fully understand why some couples divorce after having kids. Being a full-time parent tests you in every possible way. And no matter how hard you try, you may often feel like your efforts are neither good enough nor appreciated enough.
If your spouse doesn’t appreciate you after you give up your career, you are going to be mighty bitter! Going to work is much easier than being a full-time parent, especially if you can work from home and have a flexible schedule.
Before you give up your career for your kids, you must plan carefully. Do not think everything will work out the way you want because it probably won’t!
Nobody Really Cares How Much Work You Do As A Parent
Nobody asked you to have kids, so nobody cares how much work you do