Should One Parent Stay Home With The Kids?

When you decide to become a parent, you and your spouse generally have a game plan as to how you will be raising your children. In today's economy it is no surprise that many families have both parents working outside the home. This can be a tough call for parents and some may still be on the fence about it.

Making the decision for most people comes down to one thing...money. If you didn't need to work financially, odds are you would be at home tending to your own kids daily right? For some it isn't that simple. They may have the dream career they always wanted and to give it up to stay home with the kids for a few years before they head off to school full time is not something they have in mind. This is a conversation you need to openly have with your spouse and have with yourself as well. Ensure that everyone in the home will benefit from what plan you opt for.

If you know you have to go to work, and so does your spouse then find a great nanny or family member to help out. Once you have selected someone trustworthy and dependable this is not a very complicated task. The kids become accustomed to their new schedules and they also enjoy having some free time without mom or dad.

If you can possibly afford to stay home with the kids, then well done for you. Be certain it is something you can handle emotionally and mentally as many do not realize the amount of care even one child requires daily. If you are used to going to work daily and quit to tend to your kids, then you may want to experiment by taking a vacation day off and going through the motions of being a full time parent first before making your decision. For some couples, staying at home is more effort than they wish to exert and they feel they may be better contributing to the family budget by working instead.

Go through the pros and cons of each option. Having a parent at home ensures your kids are safe and with someone they love and care for. It also means they will be disciplined and get the luxury of staying at home during the summers and evenings versus being in a daycare or after school program. Having the kids use a daycare or a nanny can give many other benefits. The children can develop new relationships with someone other than their parents. It decreases the codependency many little ones have with their parents, and also encourages more independence. If the children will be attending a daycare, nursery program or youth facility they can often have great friendships gained from these organizations as well.