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Stay at home Moms, Stay at home Dads, Working Moms, Working Dads, it is all the same; that is it is WORK. Working in the office is different than home, some days are good and others bad, just like home. It is just DIFFERENT work. Everyone needs to pitch in to have a happy healthy family, working or at home, it doesn't matter.

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Does divorced Dad have the kids when he's cleaning the house? Are all of their toys there while he's cleaning? Is he washing his girlfriends clothes, calling his girlfriends doctors to make appointments for her, taking the car in for the oil change and doing the multitude of other tasks? My husband did the stay at home dad thing, and it was great for him. He played with the kid all day and then I came home from work and cleaned the house, paid the bills, got the errands done, did the yard work etc.. My husband is domestically challenged and has no clue how to plan what needs to be done around the kids needs. Not every person can successfully be a stay at home parent, not everyone has the skills or temperment. I hated being a stay at home mom. I dislike the same old boring routine every day of chores, vomit, poop and all the other stuff in it. But maybe divorced dad can compare his routine to mine when I was a stay at home mom. Put the child to bed at 9pm, wake up with him at 12am, wake up with him at 5am, get up and clean the house as much as possible between poop, feedings and vomit. Take a nap while he takes a nap, get up, Fix a nutritious lunch. make all the phone calls, pay all the bills, take the car to the shop, wait for the repairman or do the shopping. Try to cook dinner with the kid crying, or bent over double in the bathroom with the stomach flu, clean up the kitchen, do the laundry, help the husband plan his appointments or help with his work, and then stay up until the kid is ready to go to sleep again. Being a stay at home parent is no picnic unless you ignore everything else, or buy all ready to make micro meals (not healthy or good for people with allergies). I go to work now and my son gets to socialize with other kids. The new one will get to join other kids soon too. I don't whine about my motherly duties, but I also don't think it's fair for one Dad to say how easy it is and that everyone else must be a slacker.

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I am a stay at home Grandma who took some time off of being a nurse to help raise my baby Granddaughter. My daughter has to work part time for the family insurance. Here is my day: take the baby out of her bed (she is now one) and change her diaper were she might get dirty from grabbing poo faster than my old eye's can blink! So wash her up, give her breakfast and there is food all over her, the floor and maybe the wall. I get her out, clean her again, and dress her and put her down so I can pee...she gets into the food on the floor....NOW she wants to eat it! I run off the potty and grab her and stick her in front of the TV to watch WOW WOW WUBBSY, so I can clean up the kitchen mess...but she is too quiet ! WHO THE HELL left their dish and FORK on the floor the night before??? She is now RUNNING away from me with the FORK, and laughing. CRAP! And THIS goes ON and ON...all day. WE NAP TOGETHER!! LOL WHEN Mom and Dad come home, then it takes both of them to keep her alive for the rest of the night. But when I was a young Mom and married, it was up to ME to keep the kids alive, nurtured and loved all by myself, all DAY, ALL EVENING and ALL NIGHT...and THEN had to answer the question: "What did you do with that $20 I gave you last week?" I used to tell him I got my Porche cleaned and my Mink out of cold storage!! REALLY??? So it is the EVERYDAY GRIND, with no help, no one to talk with, and work that is never, ever done and VERY LOW PAY!! Now when I go to work....gee they pay me, AND I get to GO HOME after 4 or 8 or even 12 hours and put my feet up!! Dad's need to pitch in like...give the kid a BATH, read them a story!! My son in law is the most wonderful Daddy and HE works in construction! WE TELL HIM how wonderful he is. He have NEVER 'babysat" for HIS daughter....he takes her to the park if Mommy has to work on Saturday morning and loves to hold her and talk to her and teach her things. So it is not a question of labor but life and love. By the way, my son, who would make a WONDERFUL FATHER, has opted out. HE and his wife and him have decided to buy toys instead! I support him 100%!!!

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Hello,im in desperate need of some advice,ive been dating a guy for 3 months now...the problem...he wont touch me...but he is very willing to except "contact" from me if you know what i mean..i explained that it should go both ways.He drinks alot and smokes alot never has money to do anything.Im so confused....and hurt what should i do in a situation that i know is going no where but im hanging on to hope...i forgot to mention that i have fallen for him...please help

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This is by far the best piece on parenting i've ever seen. Finally someone agrees with me - if ya can't hack it don't have children! Women have been mothers for how long now?? Suddenly it's become a horribly complex and time consuming nuisance according to what I hear most parents say. Enouph whining! Either have children because you want to and know you can handle the responsibilty HAPPILY or don't have any! It really is that simple.

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Thanks, Amy! I tried to have my tubes tied at 22----I KNEW I didn't want children. They made me wait until I was 32, but it was worth it. I have plenty of nieces and nephews, plus godchildren. I enjoy them, then I go home! If you're not 100% committed, don't have kids. I hope more people will make a mature decision not to have children, rather than be pressured by "society" or family.

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Amy, You have no idea what you are talking about and lately have been seeming very bitter, anti-woman, anti-relationships, and anti-children. I used to think you gave sensible, shoot-from-the hip advice. now i just think you are a sad, raving, and regretful person. Also, you make way too many generalzations and then pepper in a few "experts" out of context to support what ever notion or agenda you may have. Oh, and babies aren't really affected by their peergroups. (Those studies weren't about babies and toddlers, which is the time when being a stay-at-home parent is the most challanging. You need a new job and creators.com needs a newer and better writer.