[ahfarlow]

Average SAHM has 94.4-hour work week
by Amy Hatch Sep 30th 2008 11:00AM

Categories: Just for moms, Weird but true, Mommy wars

An annual survey by Salary.com revealed that the average stay-at-home mom works an average of 94.4 hours per week, meaning that in the context of a normal 40-hour week, more than half of her time on the job is overtime.

The survey, administered yearly since 2000, also determined that in 2008, a full-time mother's annal salary would come in at $116,805, down from 2007's figure of $138,094. And just what does a family get in return for this princely sum?

Salary.com breaks a mother's job down into the following duties: housekeeper, day-care center teacher, cook, laundry machine operator, computer operator, psychologist, facilities manager, van driver, and chief executive officer.

So let me get that straight -- I am working in excess of 90 hours a week, and my salary has decreased? What gives?

The company uses a number of factors to calculate mom's paycheck, and this year added a new wrinkle: companies with fewer than 25 employees tend to offer lower salaries. Your typical American family comes in way under that "25 or more" threshold. If you think the SAHM's salary is miserly, consider this -- a working mom's job description is roughly equal to that of one who stays at home, and she only nets $68,405 for her 54.6 "mom work week."

Want to know exactly how much you're worth? You and your family can calculate your personal compensation at mom.salary.com.

[Mom2ThreeLovesCVS]

Thanks, that's really interesting. I'm sure the comments about SAHM's not really working will be coming soon. Sorry to hijack your thread, but I'm really tired of hearing that I have it easy because I'm home with the kids. Yup, I'm on vacation!

To each their own, what works for you doesn't necessarily work for everyone else...

[bellasmama]

OMG! He can't afford me, I guess I must be movin' on...oh right, I love him, darn!

[jbarber8]

While being a SAHM has its own stresses, I have to think not having to have everyone fed, cleaned, dressed, and out the door early in the morning relieves a bit of pressure that working Mom's must deal with daily. (Didn't get your makeup on by 7? Who cares! ... must be nice.)

I also think being able to spread the chores throughout the day would be nice, vs having the evenings crammed with chores.

Either way, we are all worth our weight in gold. Now, when are our checks coming??

[grace.maddie]

i am a sahm and i DO have everyone up, fed, cleaned and dressed and out the door early in the morning. i have a dd in preschool, i have to get to the gym. our lives are constatnt running. ballet, gymnastics, two in swim lessons, a dd that needs to go to the dr all the time. we usually make it hom in time for me to try and decide what to make for lunch, do the dishes, clean their mess, read storeies and put the younger two down for nap. spend some qt with my 4 yr old, and try to power clean before its time to figure out what to make for dinner.
i am not trying to start a debate at all b/c i think it would suck (for me) to have to get a full time job. but i seriously do not get to "spread the chores out throughout the day. there are a ton more chores to do b/c we are home. more dishes, more picking up, more sweeping, more little kids following you around undoing everything you do .
the only thing that bothers me about the working moms around me is sevral times a week i get phone calls from the that start "since you stay at home all day can i drop off my kids for just a few hours....." and it ends with things like "so and so it sick so the day care won't take her, so can i leave her at your house today?" i get that one all the time! why the heck would i want their sick kids with my precious babies?? it drives me nuts!
working or not, i think toddler years are a little crazy and we all just do our best to get thru them.

[jbarber8]

I am lucky to have a condensed workweek so I'm home with my kids alone on Monday and working Tues-Fri. So for 1 day a week, I pretend to be a SAHM.

For me, on Mon everything is much more relaxed. I usually manage to get dishes done, laundry done, and I get my run. While they nap, I shower and then clean something, usually one room. When they get up, we sometimes make cookies, or we play outside. Monday I have dinner on the table when my husband gets home. After the kids are in bed, we just relax. It would be nice to have that schedule every day. I have to work because my husband's a teacher and it just doesn't pay the bills, no matter how much I save with Q's! You are right about the toys -- there are toys out everywhere by Monday night.

There are days Tues-Fri where I get done working and breakfast is still on the table and/or counter because we rushed out!

We have a backup sitter who has no kids and takes my son if he is ill. I do have to pay her, ON TOP OF paying the day care when he's not there. I have a limited number of days off per year (8) and I can use those in a pinch, but prefer to use them on vacation days, otherwise I'd have to go 5 years with no vacation, which would suck more than it sucks having to work in the first place!

The two good things about working are the money, and the mental/professional challenges and interactions.

[lifeworthliving]

I was a SAHM with mine for several years. Now I have been in the work force for even longer! It's hard no matter which one you are.

Now instead of being home with my 3 I am stuck in a building with 18 males that can not do anything for themselves, you can't send them to there room, hold snacks over there head for leverage or spank them when they get out of hand or just flat won't do what they should!!

For the mom's/dad's that are true stay at home parents I applauded you! I wish there was a bigger incentive for one parent to stay with there children. At least till they are 6 to 7.

[ahfarlow]

My mom was a SAHM (and still is). She recently started mystery shopping. I helped her fill out some of the applications. I was like how long have you been a stay at home mom (she likes to say she is a domestic goddess) and she said hmmmmm...since...since 1986!
I don't know how she didn't loose her mind! I'm the oldest of 4 and the youngest is only 6 years younger than me. My dad's a work-a-holic so he was never home. She literally did everything herself.

[akbkm460]

Originally Posted by grace.maddie

i am a sahm and i DO have everyone up, fed, cleaned and dressed and out the door early in the morning. i have a dd in preschool, i have to get to the gym. our lives are constatnt running. ballet, gymnastics, two in swim lessons, a dd that needs to go to the dr all the time. we usually make it hom in time for me to try and decide what to make for lunch, do the dishes, clean their mess, read storeies and put the younger two down for nap. spend some qt with my 4 yr old, and try to power clean before its time to figure out what to make for dinner.
i am not trying to start a debate at all b/c i think it would suck (for me) to have to get a full time job. but i seriously do not get to "spread the chores out throughout the day. there are a ton more chores to do b/c we are home. more dishes, more picking up, more sweeping, more little kids following you around undoing everything you do .
the only thing that bothers me about the working moms around me is sevral times a week i get phone calls from the that start "since you stay at home all day can i drop off my kids for just a few hours....." and it ends with things like "so and so it sick so the day care won't take her, so can i leave her at your house today?" i get that one all the time! why the heck would i want their sick kids with my precious babies?? it drives me nuts!
working or not, i think toddler years are a little crazy and we all just do our best to get thru them.

OMG... I get that too about the sick kids! While I feel sorry that they would have to take the time off without pay why the heck would I want to get sick.. or have my kids miserable (plus the copays if they are sick enough to go to the DR.'s) just because daycare won't take them? ughh.

I honestly can't imagine trying to be out the door by 7 and then work all day and then have all the housework/clothes to do. Kudos to any mom having to get all of that done! I think both ways come with it's own stressers that you can't understand unless you are living it.