Working full-time, staying at home, and everything in between: Part Deux

The New Mama Diaries continues its exploration of women's working statuses and how they feel behind the scenes. Today, we talk to a mama friend of mine, Teri, a stay-at-home mom who just moved to a new city to be closer to her husband's work. Although she loves that everything she needs is within a 10-minute drive, she struggles with feeling disconnected.

1.  What prompted your decision to work or stay at home?

I was let go from my job about two weeks before I got pregnant. I was looking for a job, but I didn’t get any call backs or interviews.  I started to show and I thought "No one will hire a pregnant lady who will need maternity leave in a few months." My unemployment would cover the bills for a while, but wouldn’t last forever. So, we decided that I would be a stay-at-home mom.

2. What do you like about working or staying at home?

I like that I get to stay home with my baby all day.  I get to watch her grow and learn new things. Basically, I get the opportunity to get to know my baby.

3. What aspect of working or staying at home do you find the hardest?

The hardest part for me is that we recently moved closer to my husbands’ job, and I don’t know anyone in our new city.  We are about an hour away from all the people that we knew, so it’s a challenge.

4. Do you want to change your working or non-working status? Why?

There are times that I would like to work again, even if it’s just to get out of the house and have a conversation that doesn’t involve poop. Oh, and the extra money would be a Godsend. Unfortunately, I wouldn’t be able to spend a lot of time with my baby, and I would have to pay someone else to watch her for me. To me, it’s just not worth it. When she is a little older and in school, I will work again.

5. Do you experience societal bias being a working or non-working mother?

People do say that I have all this free time to do what I want with, but that is untrue.  I am home all day with the baby. Sure, we go to the park or walk the mall, but I am constantly in “mom mode.”  When she naps, I do dishes, clean, eat lunch, etc. I don’t have any “me” time.