I couldn’t imagine being raised by a working mom. My cleaning standards would be lower. No offense to the kids of working moms but I have yet to meet someone in my age group who’s been taught to clean and organize on a professional level. Stay-at-home moms (SAHM) are not only professional cleaners, but also tutors, cooks, gardeners, cheerleaders and certified cuddlers.  

My mom, Roshni, was a stay-at-home mom for fourteen years. She worked up until the last day of her pregnancy with me, which ironically was her birthday.  The next morning on April 9 I was born, and as the story goes, when she first held me in her arms, she thought to herself that there was no way she could leave me.  

SAHMs are indeed full-time babysitters. Looking after your children 24/7 can get overwhelming. Having children be your only social human interaction would drive any parent crazy. I unfortunately did not see my mom have much of a social life when I was growing up. Even though I was a handful during my infant and toddler stages, now as an adult I wish my mom had a semblance of what it was like to be an outgoing Gen X woman, outside the home. 

Every day was a routine – my mom was working inside the home, clocked in for life.  

If my mom had continued working, our relationship would be very different. Again, no offense to working moms or kids of working moms, but from my perspective, SAHMs create more soulful connections with their children. Given I’m the only child, the bond I have with my mom is like no other. Since we’ve spent so much time together while she was home, we’ve sort of morphed to become the same person. I noticed how alike I am to my mom during my teenage years – we share the same mannerisms, handwriting, clothing style and like/dislike the same things.  

Naturally, I would also like to experience being a SAHM one day. Holding a career is important, but being raised by a SAHM, my maternal instincts override any motivation to hold a job when I have to raise children. A 9-5 is my worst nightmare and I genuinely enjoy homemaking, so this housewife thing is looking like a real good option. However, I’m not busting my bum for A’s during my collegiate years for a degree to go to waste. Following in the footsteps of my mom, it’s all about balance; she worked, stayed home with me until I was independent, and went straight back to work, picking up where she left off because she had her medical degrees for support of finding a job well into her 40s.  

Do I think SAHMs juggle more than working moms? No. I think both types of parents have equal amounts of stress and responsibilities. So, it’s aggravating to still hear from working class men and women that SAHMs dwell in leisure and peace when it’s the complete opposite. Neoliberal feminists look down upon housewives; they don’t care about empowering women, such as SAHMs, they just want to keep their seat at the men’s table. Anyone who thinks that a woman’s worth is by their earning capacity is an ally to capitalism, not to women.