Education & Career

The "Stay-At-Home Parent" Career: A Job or Not

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I have read many articles about whether or not being a stay-at-home parent should be a career or not. Recently, I saw a social media post referring to how much a parent would actually make if it were a real career option. Because of this post I wanted to demonstrate the negatives and positives on the matter.


Most parents would claim it is not a job, some believe that it is. For some examples, I have articles here both "for" and "against":https://www.xojane.com/issues/being-a-stay-at-home-mom-is-not-a-job ,https://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2015/03/17/yes-stay-at-home-mom-is-a-job-the-return-of-the-mommy-wars.html


In regards to that matter, being a parent is tough at times. We have to constantly adjust ourselves to learn new things about our children if we are first time parents. When you are a parent, you are basically being a counseler, a cook, a cleaner, and a teacher all in one. It gets rather exhausting and sometimes we would really like a day off but it is a constant. It is an everyday thing. However, the rewards in the end are the truest blessings more so than money could ever buy.


To continue, parents that coinsider it a job would be lucky to know that many parents agree. This doesn't mean it is a terrible covienence. A child is never an option anyway, they are to be put first in everything and given the world, the stars and the moon. Put it together and think for a moment. How would I treat my child differently if I were to be paid for all the hours I put into being a stay-at-home parent? Would I just act like a worker and not a parent, or would I open my eyes and see more?


In most cases, some may believe that being paid for raising children would again be the most terrible idea, others not so much. If you think about it, being paid for being a stay-at-home parent would have many beneficiaries including but not limited to: being able to buy your children clothes, body wash, toothbrush,toothepaste, diapers/pull-ups, wipes, learning activites, arts and crafts,school supplies, and food. You'd have much more time with your children instead of being stuck at a desk all day doing paperwork or what not. You wouldn't be spending the time indoors in the summer due to the fact that there are many parks to go to, and many wonderous events to attend with your children. In reality, this is a dream for some parents. To be able to do for their children, and to make them happy in such ways. In all, you'd be showing your children that you are fully there for them, giving them the love and affection they need. There are a list of pros and cons about being a stay-at-home parent here: https://www.babycenter.com/0_staying-at-home-pros-and-cons_6025.bc,https://stayathomemoms.about.com/od/becomeastayathomemom/fl/Pros-and-Cons-of-Being-a-Stay-at-Home-Mom.htm .


Furthermore, some can understand that to be paid for being a stay-at-home parent, like say fostercare families do may not be such a good thing due to the fact that there are so many that say, some of those fostercare parents will treat the foster child terribly. However, there are many solutions that can be made in the situation of a stay-at-home parent. For instance, if you want to be a stay-at-home parent maybe a law would be required to be drug tested, a background check must be initialized, check-ins every Tuesday or Thursday to see if things are proper and in place, and evaluations of your child are made to see if abuse is going on, much like a social worker would. It initially would bring down child abuse percentages. And let's say perhaps the government felt as though there would be no good coming from it, I'd say we'd have ourselves a winner.

The "Stay-At-Home Parent" Career: A Job or Not
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