Choosing whether one of the partners will stay at home or continue working after childbirth is a major decision that the couple must make. Some major considerations are the following:
1. Financial readiness and capability
If any of you will quit working, will you still be able to live comfortably and save for future unforeseen expenses? Money is the often the reason why both partners are working. If you can hardly make both ends meet while the both of you are still working, quitting from job is not a good idea unless you have other feasible plans for earning money.
2. Career goals
If both partners are career-driven, leaving a job in order to take care of the babies and manage the household seems hard. It may be a cause of resentment especially if the partner who’ll be staying home is not really inclined to remain at home.
3. Child care
The couple should understand the implications of sending their children to day care or extended family while they both are working. The early experiences of a developing child has a great impact on his personality, disposition and development.
4. Lifestyle
Is the partner who’ll be staying at home ready to accept the change of lifestyle? In addition, losing one source of income affects the finances of the family. Are the couple willing to let go of the luxuries and other things they usually enjoy?
Not everyone are in the same circumstances so nobody should judge you based on your choices. However, always to make decisions that will be most beneficial to you and your family.
Hi Sheryl…
Congratz on your new house “GeoRyl”, I wish all the best for you!:=)
Thank you very much! 🙂
Thank for the article and raising this delicate topic.
I have a couple of thoughts on this…
1. Firstly, I think many couples, mothers in particular, fail to acknowledge how diferently they may feel after the birth of their baby. They might have all the plans in the world to go back to work, hire nannies, or for the higher income earner to go back and the other stay at home, etc, but when the baby comes home, it can really throw your life and hormones into complete chaos. Just be prepared to re-evalute earlier decisions made before your doted on child is a part of the family at home.
2. Secondly, if as a couple you do decide for the Mum to go back to work and Dad to stay home, society doesn’t cater as well for this. There are labels like Mothers Group, Stay-at-home Dads, etc to contend with, that really make the Dad feel like the odd man out, so to speak. It also lets everyone know that the women earns more which some fellows might suffer some embarrassment from.
you raised such good points sharon. that’s why it’s really important that the couple should decide together on what is more beneficial to both of them and their family. 🙂