10 Remarkable Benefits Of Being A Stay At Home Mom

I have spent a lot of time writing about my struggles in motherhood here on the Shiny New Parent blog. While sharing these struggles is important, I also want to share what I love about motherhood; and specifically my life as a stay-at-home mom!

So in this post, I’ll outline some of the greatest benefits of being a stay-at-home mom. 

With a 4-year-old and a 1-year-old in tow, the past few years have been a wild ride; full of ups, downs, and all-arounds.

Despite this rugged rollercoaster ride, I find myself evolving and falling more and more in love with being a SAHM as time passes. Yes it’s hard, and yes I need breaks, but at the end of the day it’s 100% worth it.

Should I Be A Stay-At-Home Mom?

Before I go on, let me emphasize that I am NOT saying that being a stay-at-home mom is better than being a working mom.

Rather, what I am saying is that it is better for me. It may also be the right decision for other moms who have similar personalities, preferences, and circumstances. 

I am also not saying that being a stay-at-home mom is all sunshine and rainbows. Certainly not. I have questioned my decision to be a SAHM many times. 

Sometimes I ask myself if I have deprived my young children of important socializing time that kids in daycare get. I also wonder if my mental health would be a bit more robust if I were regularly interacting with other adults in a work environment. 

The truth though, is that I love being a stay-at-home mom. I do not love every single minute of it, but overall, I am right where I want to be. 

So here are my 10 favorite things about being a stay-at-home mom.

10 Reasons I Love Being a Stay-At-Home Mom

If other moms or moms-to-be are wondering if being a stay-at-home parent is the right fit, see if any of the following points resonate.

If you connect with what I share below on a gut level or feel a thousand pounds lighter imagining yourself in this role, you might just love being a stay-at-home mom or a stay-at-home dad.

1. I Get TIME With My Children

Time is perhaps the most valuable resource we have on this Earth. Nobody can get back lost time. Once it’s gone, it’s gone.

As a stay-at-home, I have had and continue to get so much quality time with my kids. Even on hard days, I would opt to have time with them rather than a long day without them.

I have been around for first words, first crawls, first steps, first giggles, and all the other big little moments.

I know my kids in a way that no one else does, simply because I have spent so much time with them.

Additionally, my kids who are 3 years apart get to spend a lot of time with each other!

Younger siblings and older siblings can learn so much from one another, and I love that my kids spend a boatload of time together. There’s nothing sweeter.

2. I Am My Kids’ Guiding Post

As a result of spending a lot of time with my children, I get to be their rock and their guiding post.

Providing a strong foundation is something a working parent does as well of course, but children who spend a lot of time in daycare or with a nanny are also likely looking to these caretakers and to peers for guidance.

In many cases, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with this and there are a lot of benefits. Until my kids are older though, I like that I am the one who gets to be their primary guide. 

3. I’m My Own Boss

Even though my children lead me to believe otherwise at times, I get to be my own boss as a stay-at-home mom!

I get to decide how our days are structured, how the house is set up, what we eat, when to set up play dates, and essentially every other aspect of a day’s schedule.

4. My Family Has A Flexible Schedule

In line with being my own full-time boss is the benefit of having a flexible schedule as a stay-at-home mom.

For example, if the kids are tired, we can adjust and have a mellow day. If we need to go grocery shopping, we can go in the middle of the day. If someone is sick, we have a sick day without the hassle of juggling a work schedule.

Having a flexible schedule simply makes life less stressful and benefits the whole family.

A flexible schedule also leaves room for extracurricular activities and school events.

Additionally, if my husband has a change in his work schedule, it’s not a big deal. We also do not have to factor in changing childcare costs or find suitable and affordable childcare. 

5. I Get To Wear Whatever I Want

Whether you like to get dressed in your best at the start of the day or stay in cozy sweatpants all day long, the choice is yours as a sahm. There is no sahm dress code, so anything that you are comfortable in and that makes you feel great is perfect!

I feel like I’m in my element when I’m wearing cozy joggers and soft sweaters, so this is great news for me as a stay-at-home mom. I get to wear these things all the time and nobody looks at me sideways.

6. I’m Self-Motivated

Not going to lie, being a stay-at-home mom can be very lonely. Sahms may also feel a lack of intellectual stimulation. Especially if moms do not have a parenting village surrounding them, they may not talk to many, or possibly any adults during a given day. 

I can’t tell you how many times I have shown up to parks with my kids on the weekdays, only to be the only ones there. If you have not experienced this yourself as a stay-at-home parent, you may not fully understand how demoralizing and isolating this can feel.

Once you realize that you have to put a decent amount of effort into finding activities and places for your kids to socialize and play throughout the week though, you shift into high gear. You learn to embody a spirit of proactivity and adventure.

With this shift in mindset, the world becomes your oyster!

7. I’m Learning To Set Firm And Reasonable Boundaries

Spending all day with cheeky little monkeys is a test of endurance and a practice in patience.

Unless stay-at-home mothers want to lose their minds or be swallowed up by Mom Rage, they learn to calmly and resolutely set reasonable boundaries with their kids.

This extra practice in boundary setting helps you grow as a parent and will serve your kids well as they develop.

8. I Can Spend All Day Outside If I Want

Never mind being stuck in a stuffy office with fluorescent lights. As a stay-at-home parent, I can pack up a picnic and a boatload of snacks, and be outside all day long with my kids if we want.

There are so many benefits, for both kids and parents when it comes to being out in the fresh air and connecting with Earth’s natural elements.

Related: Giant Bubble Activity

9. My Work Life Is My Home Life

When you are a stay-at-home mom, your work life and home life are one and the same. 

So for those parents who struggle to maintain a boundary between work life and family life (or do not want to have to do that), stay-at-home parenting may be a great option.

When I was working in paid positions outside the home, I could never leave work at work. It was a problem for me, and I know that it would especially be a huge challenge for me with small children.

While working through such a challenge can lead to a lot of personal growth, I just don’t know if I could ever overcome that particular challenge. At least not with a huge amount of stress and struggle. 

So for me, trying to overcome the challenge of maintaining a work-life balance during the first few years of my children’s lives, simply was not worth it to me.

Raising kids is hard work, and I appreciate that I do not have to split my attention and maintain boundaries between my family life and a demanding work schedule. Props to the moms and dads who do this.

10. I Have Let Go Of An Unhealthy Ego

It took me a long time to separate my identity from a career path. When I became a stay-at-home mom, I felt like I was less than because I no longer had career goals or worked in a paid position. I was embarrassed when people asked me, “What do you do?”.

I have realized though, that a lot of that insecurity came from an unhealthy ego. I was attached to the idea of a version of myself that was defined by my job title. I thought that only this version was worthy and valuable.

Related: Fighting Stay-At-Home Mom Shame

I also was mourning the years I had spent in school and obtaining a master’s degree, which I thought I’d be putting to use. The thing is though, is that I do put it to use, just not in the ways I expected.

So now nearly 5 years and 2 children into this parenting life, being a stay-at-home mom is an easy decision. I have finally learned to proudly claim my stay-at-home parent status because I know what hard work and important work it is.

What I think about myself and how I feel about myself is not attached to what others may think of me.

Rather, my feelings about myself are based on my experiences and a unique standard I have set for myself.