What salary is a SAHM worth?

[melly]

My husband and I have had this discussion many times. I have been a SAHM for 14years. We decided early on that I would stay at home with the kids. Sometimes it has been very tough, especially when my "friends" did not understand. My husband has worked a very stressful job for many years. For job security he went back to school, now that was another type of stress. A few years back Dear Abby came out with an article that set a salary for what SAHM's are worth.

The husband and I talked about it, he did not realize how many "jobs" I had.

I think after so many years he finally understands what I do and how much I do.

[cau]

I was a SAHM mom for the first 12 years of our marriage. Worked for the last 26 years and now dh is retired and at home while I'm still working. Difference is having been there I appreciate all the running around an other things he does. if we all would just remember to thank the person at home it really helps. cau

[bobbinsx5]

I have been a SAHM for the past ten years, would I trade it for anything in the world? No way! At least not until my youngest starts school, then it is very limited, I will work in the school they attend. Our school is K-12 in one building. Very, VERY small school. At any rate, my husband will argue until he is blue in the face with anyone who says SAHMs don't work. He tells people he needs to increase my life insurance because he could never hire someone to cover everything I do without the insurance money. I am very grateful he appreciates what I do, and he doesn't think I do nothing all day. He did at one time repeatedly make comments about bon bons and tv. So one day I did just that, sat around and ate bon bons and watched tv all day. I did feed the kids, but I didn't clean up after them. It was great when he walked in the door and saw the house!! He asked me what happened and I told him Iwanted him to see what would happen if I did just sit around all day. He hasn't even one time made a comment about me and tv and bon bons since!
But the best thing I did happened about four years ago after I got saved and started wanting to live the Bible way, and be the kind of wife the Bible says. I started pointing out to the kids what Daddy does for them. He is gone all day because he works really hard to make money to pay for your food and house and clothes, and on and on and on. I made a very big deal about all their Daddy does, from his work in his secular job, to his work in the ministries he is involved in at church. Daddy loves you so much, he wants you to know what the Bible says about how to live, and on and on and on. It has been the biggest help to our family! My kids and I are my husband's biggest cheer leaders. You start cheering for him and he will cheer for you. It was kind of difficult at first, but one day he walked in the house after a day I knew had been hard for him and all the kids started jumping up and down and cheering and yelling and throwing homemade confetti on him. He was so tickled! It made a huge mess for me to clean up, but it was well worth it!