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The non-monetary costs of being a stay-at-home Mom

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Elsewhere here in our blog we recently we commented on Sheryl Sandberg’s book, Lean In, and agreed that she was right about women not giving up on staying in the work force even with all their other daily obligations. Continuing “the conversation,” an item posted in June at the HuffingtonPost.comtitled “Why I Regret Being a Stay-at-Home Mom” also hit home.

To date, Lisa Endlich Heffernan’s post has generated nearly 1,000 comments and many more “shares” via Facebook, Twitter and email. The comments span the full range, with plenty of vitriol included. For my part, I want to commend this Mom who “bolted” from the work force to take care for her children. Secondly, I commend her courage and honesty for telling the world her regrets and how she would have done things differently.

At the end of her article, Heffernan says, “I wish I had tried to keep a finger, a toe or a hand in the working world to ease an eventual return.” The decision for a new mom of whether to stay home or continuing to work is an individual one. What ends up being right for one mom isn’t necessarily right for another.

For those who do decide to return to work, many opt to hire a Nanny to care for their children. If you decided on that path, even if it’s only part-time, your child will remain in familiar surroundings, nap and eat on their own schedules, gain social skills, enjoy play dates with other children, and even have a dedicated homework tutor. As a parent, you benefit by not having to use family for childcare, or deal with pickups and drop-offs, scheduling, etc. And, as Heffernan put it, you get to enjoy having a job and thereby avoid the “non-monetary costs” of staying at home, as well as the monetary costs likely to result when you try to return to the work force when the nest is empty.

Admittedly, hiring a Nanny can be one of the most expensive forms of childcare, but parents who have good Nannies swear by them. Support, advice, peace of mind, flexibility, and the partnering relationship you have with your Nanny can allow you to stay at work and enjoy your time with your kids with far less stress. Imagine coming home to find the errands, chores and homework all done!

At Town + Country we pride ourselves on finding you the right match for your needs whatever they may be. -Amanda Shone