5 Things You Gain Being A SAHM

Deciding to become a stay-at-home mom, SAHM, is not an easy decision. There are so many things you have to take into consideration. Is that something you really want to do? Can your family afford for you to be at home? The list goes on and on.

For me, I truly felt that God was calling me to become a SAHM. It was not an easy decision, but one that I do not regret. Although there have been things that you have to give up along the way, the unexpected things you gain being a SAHM can be the most surprising.

You Gain #1 A Profession

When you become a SAHM you are choosing to give up your current profession, for me it was being a pharmacist. Giving up something that you worked years for can be very difficult. At times it may feel like a part of your identity has been taken away.

Yet the new title you gain, SAHM, is worth so much more than your professional title ever could. Being a SAHM is hard work, a lot harder than I thought it would be. The days are long and the pay sucks, but it’s all worth it. I would pick being a SAHM over a pharmacist any day.

You Gain #2 Independence

You are no longer bound to someone else’s timetable. Now you have the freedom to do things how and when you like. When I was working, I was always trying to find time to fit everything in, especially me-time, around my work schedule.

Now my routine revolves around the wants and needs of my family and I am able to cultivate that in a way that works for me. You gain the ability to not have to divide your time and your focus being a SAHM.

You Gain #3 Adult Interaction

Now I know that you are thinking, she clearly does not know what she is talking about. SAHMs spend most of their days with their kids, so adult interaction is non-existent. I would agree to a certain extent. There are days when the only adult I see or talk to is my husband. Yet the adult interaction that you gained and would not want to live without is with other SAHMs.

I have been blessed to have been a part of some awesome moms’ groups through my previous and current church. The relationships you are able to build with other SAHMs are priceless. You are able to support and encourage each other in so many ways. Knowing that you have a group of moms you can grow with and turn to when you need them is so important and such a blessing.

These older women must train the younger women to love their husbands and their children,
Titus 2:4 (NLT)

You Gain #4 Respect

For a lot of us, this is something that we feel we lose when we become a SAHM. There are many people, sometimes even our husbands, which do not understand why we leave our careers to stay home. Yet over time, I have begun to see that those same people and many others have a new respect for me and what I do.

Many people begin to see that by you staying at home you are not giving up who you are, but gaining so much more. They begin to see all the hard work you put into taking care of your family. They begin to see growth and change in both you and your family that can only be attributed to you devoting yourself to being the best SAHM you can be.

I will never forget after over a year of me being at home finally gaining the respect and full support of my husband, Eric. When I first became a SAHM, Eric went along with my decision not because he understood it, but because it was something I wanted to do. Almost weekly he would ask me whether I missed working or when I was thinking about going back to work. It was a real point of contention in our marriage.

But I knew God had called me to be a SAHM and I was happy with my decision. So instead of fighting with him about it, I went to God in prayer about it almost daily. I prayed that God would open his eyes and his heart to my new role in our family, and guide me as well. Now Eric can openly admit that he doesn’t know how our lives would be if I were working and doesn’t know if or when I will ever go back to work. Prayer changes things!

You Gain #5 Relationship with God

Supporting a family on one income these days can be extremely hard. Going from a two-income to a one-income household takes a lot of adjustments and prayer. I love to budget and save money, but there is not a budget in the world that can take the place of putting your faith and trust in God to provide. Putting your faith and trust in God not just to provide for your family, but in all ways allows for your relationship with Him to grow. As you draw closer to Him, He draws closer to you.

Being a SAHM definitely has its challenges and not so glamorous moments. Times when you wonder if you made the right decision or you question your own abilities. Yet, despite it, all the things you gain being a SAHM make it all worth it.

I’d love to hear your perspective about SAHMs and
something surprising you may have gained being a SAHM in the comments!