Wasn’t it just a few years ago women were fighting like crazy to break the stay-at-home mom stereotype to get the high paying corporate job? Ever hear that phrase -- be careful what you wish for? Everyday I’m coming across more and more news topics, articles in newspapers, magazines and online message boards about women who are tired of the 9-5 regime. They are troubled with the fact they aren’t spending enough time with their families, they’re stressed out and they are frightened that their children are not getting the kind of "motherly care" they are receiving in daycare's. Then to make matters worse, every once in awhile we hear a horror story of a daycare provider or nanny such as the au pair in the news accused of killing a child in her care. It’s enough to make any mother a little edgy. 

Over the past few years there has been a definite shift in placing higher value on spending time with the family over time spent at work. The Penn State Univ. Press reported that women who work out of the home spend only 6.6 hours of undivided time with their children a week. The "quality time" fallacy seems to be rearing it’s ugly head. The truth is -- kids need more one on one time. The less time you spend with them, the less they think they are loved. Children who feel unloved tend to act up more to get the attention they aren’t finding at home. Those special fifty six minutes a day just isn’t cutting it. Parents are finally starting to realize this. 

One certain phrase I see on the message boards and at work-at-home chats is, "I’m tired of getting in trouble at work because I have to stay home with my sick child." Not only is daycare expensive, but it’s a great place to pick up the newest germ or cold. The real downer, most daycare’s won’t watch sick kids. So guess who watches them? Mom! Also keep in mind that daycare’s usually require you to pay whether your child is there or not. Then when your child is better you have the fun task of facing your boss who has had it up to here because you’re always taking off work because of this and that cold. But there’s more to it besides dealing with difficult bosses and the extra costs incurred with daycare. 

Research was done at the University of Texas discovered children who had been in full-time child care programs during preschool years demonstrated poorer study skills, lower grades and low self-concept in later years. All that time away from mom at a young age is effecting children. Unfortunately this isn’t something that is talked about. Fortunately there is a solution. I’m one of the lucky 16 million women who have decided that working at home is the best discovery since the invention of the peanut butter and jelly sandwich . No I don’t have the newest car and I haven’t gone on an exotic vacation this year or last year for that matter. But I do know who is spending lots of time with my kids and teaching them values and beliefs I hold dear. Me! Plus I’ve found work that I enjoy. Now how many people can say that? 

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