Housewife or IT?
Feb 22nd 2009, 12:27 pm
#1
Just Joined
Thread Starter
Joined: Feb 2009
Location: Cheshire, UK
Posts: 9
Housewife or IT?
My family is moving over as soon as we possible can (uk house price's slowing down the process) and I was wondering how the humble housewife is viewed?
I used to work in IT but finished work to be a full time stay at home mum and have found that I absolutly love it. I know that some areas around the world encourage people to go back to work as soon as they possibly can after having a child and some quite encourage a parent to stay at home, what is New Brunswick / Canada like in this respect?
Are there many stay at home mums / dads or does everyone simply put their kids in day care and return to work?
I used to work in IT but finished work to be a full time stay at home mum and have found that I absolutly love it. I know that some areas around the world encourage people to go back to work as soon as they possibly can after having a child and some quite encourage a parent to stay at home, what is New Brunswick / Canada like in this respect?
Are there many stay at home mums / dads or does everyone simply put their kids in day care and return to work?
Feb 22nd 2009, 1:43 pm
#2
Forum Regular
Joined: Jan 2009
Location: Yorkshire, UK but dreaming of Canada
Posts: 95
Re: Housewife or IT?
My family is moving over as soon as we possible can (uk house price's slowing down the process) and I was wondering how the humble housewife is viewed?
I used to work in IT but finished work to be a full time stay at home mum and have found that I absolutly love it. I know that some areas around the world encourage people to go back to work as soon as they possibly can after having a child and some quite encourage a parent to stay at home, what is New Brunswick / Canada like in this respect?
Are there many stay at home mums / dads or does everyone simply put their kids in day care and return to work?
I used to work in IT but finished work to be a full time stay at home mum and have found that I absolutly love it. I know that some areas around the world encourage people to go back to work as soon as they possibly can after having a child and some quite encourage a parent to stay at home, what is New Brunswick / Canada like in this respect?
Are there many stay at home mums / dads or does everyone simply put their kids in day care and return to work?
Feb 22nd 2009, 5:13 pm
#3
Oscar nominated
Joined: Jan 2008
Location: Moncton, NB, CANADA
Posts: 50,864
Feb 22nd 2009, 6:10 pm
#4
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Mar 2007
Location: Valemount, BC, Canada
Posts: 1,281
Re: Housewife or IT?
Don't worry about it. In my experience since moving over here it's not common, but then again, I didn't know many other SAHM's when we lived back in UK.
What IT job did you used to do? I used to be a Senior Software Engineer, pre-kids, and I think people thought it was strange not to go back after having my first child (in '99) but I was never someone who "lived to work". Being at home, looking after our children, felt far more rewarding to me.
Back in the UK I did do a bit of contracting over the internet to supplement my DH's wages (as the sudden 50% drop in income was quite hard to manage!) and we've got a small PC repair business (home based) going on now, but for all intents and purposes, I've been a SAHM for 9 years now and I'm not looking forward to my youngest starting full time school next September. I'll really miss him!
What IT job did you used to do? I used to be a Senior Software Engineer, pre-kids, and I think people thought it was strange not to go back after having my first child (in '99) but I was never someone who "lived to work". Being at home, looking after our children, felt far more rewarding to me.
Back in the UK I did do a bit of contracting over the internet to supplement my DH's wages (as the sudden 50% drop in income was quite hard to manage!) and we've got a small PC repair business (home based) going on now, but for all intents and purposes, I've been a SAHM for 9 years now and I'm not looking forward to my youngest starting full time school next September. I'll really miss him!
My family is moving over as soon as we possible can (uk house price's slowing down the process) and I was wondering how the humble housewife is viewed?
I used to work in IT but finished work to be a full time stay at home mum and have found that I absolutly love it. I know that some areas around the world encourage people to go back to work as soon as they possibly can after having a child and some quite encourage a parent to stay at home, what is New Brunswick / Canada like in this respect?
Are there many stay at home mums / dads or does everyone simply put their kids in day care and return to work?
I used to work in IT but finished work to be a full time stay at home mum and have found that I absolutly love it. I know that some areas around the world encourage people to go back to work as soon as they possibly can after having a child and some quite encourage a parent to stay at home, what is New Brunswick / Canada like in this respect?
Are there many stay at home mums / dads or does everyone simply put their kids in day care and return to work?
Feb 22nd 2009, 6:36 pm
#5
Forum Regular
Joined: Nov 2006
Location: Saanich Peninsula, Vancouver Island
Posts: 225
Re: Housewife or IT?
Well where we are in BC no one cares a jot.
I don't work and I don't have kids. I look after the house, garden, animals, errands and do volunteer work. My OH and I love that we don't need to spend the evenings and weekends on chores and although we don't have as much money as we had when we both had stressful jobs in the UK, our lives are much more enjoyable.
Status certainly doesn't seem as important here. It's so refreshing not to be judged on what "you do". (Or don't do!) There are certainly no designer labels required and it's very laid back regarding what car you drive ...never seen so many heaps on the road. Hmmm... very unlike the Home Counties I left behind. Thank Gawd.
Do what makes you and your family happy.
I don't work and I don't have kids. I look after the house, garden, animals, errands and do volunteer work. My OH and I love that we don't need to spend the evenings and weekends on chores and although we don't have as much money as we had when we both had stressful jobs in the UK, our lives are much more enjoyable.
Status certainly doesn't seem as important here. It's so refreshing not to be judged on what "you do". (Or don't do!) There are certainly no designer labels required and it's very laid back regarding what car you drive ...never seen so many heaps on the road. Hmmm... very unlike the Home Counties I left behind. Thank Gawd.
Do what makes you and your family happy.
Feb 22nd 2009, 6:57 pm
#6
Forum Regular
Joined: Jan 2009
Location: Yorkshire, UK but dreaming of Canada
Posts: 95
Re: Housewife or IT?
Well where we are in BC no one cares a jot.
I don't work and I don't have kids. I look after the house, garden, animals, errands and do volunteer work. My OH and I love that we don't need to spend the evenings and weekends on chores and although we don't have as much money as we had when we both had stressful jobs in the UK, our lives are much more enjoyable.
Status certainly doesn't seem as important here. It's so refreshing not to be judged on what "you do". (Or don't do!) There are certainly no designer labels required and it's very laid back regarding what car you drive ...never seen so many heaps on the road. Hmmm... very unlike the Home Counties I left behind. Thank Gawd.
Do what makes you and your family happy.
I don't work and I don't have kids. I look after the house, garden, animals, errands and do volunteer work. My OH and I love that we don't need to spend the evenings and weekends on chores and although we don't have as much money as we had when we both had stressful jobs in the UK, our lives are much more enjoyable.
Status certainly doesn't seem as important here. It's so refreshing not to be judged on what "you do". (Or don't do!) There are certainly no designer labels required and it's very laid back regarding what car you drive ...never seen so many heaps on the road. Hmmm... very unlike the Home Counties I left behind. Thank Gawd.
Do what makes you and your family happy.
Feb 22nd 2009, 7:09 pm
#7
Oscar nominated
Joined: Jan 2008
Location: Moncton, NB, CANADA
Posts: 50,864
Re: Housewife or IT?
I don't work and I don't have kids. I look after the house, garden, animals, errands and do volunteer work. My OH and I love that we don't need to spend the evenings and weekends on chores and although we don't have as much money as we had when we both had stressful jobs in the UK, our lives are much more enjoyable.
The income can reduce the reliance on commuting or stressful/full time jobs.
Feb 22nd 2009, 7:11 pm
#8
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Jun 2008
Location: oakville ON
Posts: 350
Re: Housewife or IT?
Do what is best for you and your family, don't listen to anyone else. I went back to work after having my second child before I really wanted to and I have always regretted it, I basically worked to pay nursery fees. All because people would say 'when are you going to get a job' etc. My husband has a good job so I don't know why my staying at home with the children would bring this response and I don't know why I was stupid enough to listen to it. Personally I don't think that women libbers did a lot of good for women who are now expected to work and be a housewife. I now work p/t with school holidays and that is enough for me.
Do what you can and enjoy, they are only little once!
Feb 23rd 2009, 8:34 am
#9
Just Joined
Thread Starter
Joined: Feb 2009
Location: Cheshire, UK
Posts: 9
Re: Housewife or IT?
I am so glad you have all said that, i love being at home with my boys are I honestly believe that they benefit from beign with a parent all day they are both very smart for their ages and I believe its coz they have me nattering and playing with them all day long!!
I do feel sometime in the UK that people tend to think your either lazy or on loads of benefits if your a stay at home mum, which we all know isnt the case I am working harder with longer hours now than I have ever done and my husband is just out of all the wage markers so we only get pennies from the government.
My sister and her family are moving out with us too so she has said she will give me some pocket money for having her kids in the school holidays ect, so it will work best all round.
I do feel sometime in the UK that people tend to think your either lazy or on loads of benefits if your a stay at home mum, which we all know isnt the case I am working harder with longer hours now than I have ever done and my husband is just out of all the wage markers so we only get pennies from the government.
My sister and her family are moving out with us too so she has said she will give me some pocket money for having her kids in the school holidays ect, so it will work best all round.
