Comments on: Looking For a Real Job: A Professional Homemaker’s Essay From the Past

By: Danelle Ice - Home Ever After

Danelle Ice - Home Ever After — Thu, 14 Oct 2010 20:44:24 +0000

@Terri: I will pray that the Lord will reveal his big plans for you, because I can hear that you have been patiently waiting for quite some time! Pray and wait on the Lord and he will show you the path as long as you always put him first. May God be with you!

Danelle

By: Terri

Terri — Wed, 06 Oct 2010 18:55:25 +0000

The one and only regret I have in life is not being able to stay home and raise my son. My dream is still to become a homemaker. Working in an office just plain sucks. I’ve worked for just over 21 years straight with no more than 2 weeks vacation a year. It sucks the life and creativity out of a woman. It sucks to have to go through periods, cramps and hormonal ups and downs and work outside the home. It sucks that you can’t take care of your husband or child like a wife should because your too @!# tired. I’d like to ring every one of those feminist chicken necks because they have made it so that now most of us have to work in tiny cubicles without windows or light or fresh air. I am planning on on quitting in a few months and Lord willing I will be the homemaker I’ve dreamed about and will be able to pamper my husband like he deserves. My mother has been a homemaker her entire life and she loves her freedom. She was able to raise 5 kids thanks to my wonderful father who always supported her even with a humble salary.

By: Home Ever After

Home Ever After — Sat, 08 Aug 2009 03:10:56 +0000

@Melissa: I know a lot of moms have success doing medical transcription from home. I don’t know of any sites that have listing specifically for legitimate work from home jobs. Maybe some of our readers can pitch in here to help with links?

Sorry I can’t be of more help, but thank you for the compliment and good luck finding something that will fit in with your family’s schedule!
Danelle

By: Melissa Polanco

Melissa Polanco — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 17:29:23 +0000

I forgot to submit my email address

By: Melissa Polanco

Melissa Polanco — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 17:27:18 +0000

Did you hear of anyone that has actually found legit home jobs?
I have twins that are in school now and their school hours aren’t
long at all and they would be in this school for the next 8 yrs.
The temp agencies are not having any luck in finding me anything.
With them in school, I have too much to do with them to keep up their reading, writing and math levels.
Thanks for your help, by the way I love your website, it helps me so much; getting organized and cleaning.

By: Michelle

Michelle — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 19:50:22 +0000

Wow… that is an amazing story. I was the opposite, I had no desire to stay at home when I was pregnant- then I had my baby. Suddenly, my whole view changed. 2 years and yet another baby later, I (almost!) never look back. As new to the blogging and web world- I am so inspired. Thanks!

By: Home Ever After

Home Ever After — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 04:02:13 +0000

@Catherine: Your story is amazing, especially through a divorce. Good luck with the job hunt and with your new blog! Thank you so much for sharing your experience; we can all learn so much from each other. :)

Barbi

By: Catherine

Catherine — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 03:25:43 +0000

Wow, I just found your blog, and it is wonderful! I have been a homemaker for over 20 years, and even managed to stay home after my divorce 10 years ago ( sold the house, rented, and kept selling off excess possessions, plus child support). Now I must find a job, since the child support will be ending….I have started my own blog ( not as fun and interesting as yours, that is for sure!)….it is http://jobseekingmom.blogspot.com/. Thank for speaking out for all mothers at home!

By: Nessa

Nessa — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 22:33:12 +0000

You are truly an inspiration! I so wish that I will be able to actually make a full time, even minimum wage income from my blog…it would bless our family so much. This post gives me hope!

BTW, I won a prize from you on the Ultimate Blog Party! Please email me and let me know what info you need from me. Thanks!

ramblingsofatxhousewife(at)gmail(dot)com

By: Home Ever After

Home Ever After — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 04:22:03 +0000

@Elliott – thank you! It is always hard and scary to make a change and enter the unknown… but it makes us stronger :)

Barbi

By: Elliott - 21st Century Dad

Elliott - 21st Century Dad — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 22:34:45 +0000

Wow, what an inspiring post. It’s amazing what happens when you put your family first. Things do work out eventually. I’m sure it was rough transitioning to one income, but now you’re back to two incomes!

By: John

John — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 23:17:48 +0000

Thank you so much for sharing something so personal, Barbi. You followed your heart, made the tough choices, did what you knew was right for you, & now get to enjoy the life you created. May your story inspire everyone who reads it, male & female, to do the same.

John

By: Home Ever After

Home Ever After — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 21:13:11 +0000

@Amber: Thank you so much for your comment and the kind words and link on Epic Self! I agree with you as the experienced women we need to pass on the knowledge to younger women that it’s okay to go for what you want. I’m so glad you came by!

Barbi

By: Amber

Amber — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 20:42:51 +0000

CONGRATULATIONS! You went against the status quo and it worked brilliantly! You are quite an inspiration to me and I wish you the best of luck in the future with this website. You give mothers everywhere hope that they have the skills needed to make a life for themselves…husband/family or not. Growing up as a young woman we don’t hear it enough…that we could successfully be mothers and have a career we love. Live the dream life. It’s there we just have to believe in ourselves. You help everyone do just that so thank you!

By: Home Ever After

Home Ever After — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 19:12:20 +0000

@Alexis: Good for you for accepting your dreams! It can be hard to stand up to the peer pressure of what society thinks is acceptable and just realize that what YOU want for yourself is all that matters. Thank you for sharing those feelings with us and I hope all goes well with your surgery.

Barbi

By: Alexis

Alexis — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 12:45:58 +0000

I am only just starting to “come out” and say that all I’ve ever wanted is to stay home, take care of the dogs and home, and maybe even have a child.

But if I didn’t have a child, I still don’t see what’s wrong with my wanting to be a homemaker… I excel at it… it is what I do best. I am awesome at making the home aesthetically pleasing, I love decorating, I enjoy cooking great meals, and I’m soooooo happy being home.

To me, if one person wants to stay home, and the other can work, it shouldn’t matter which gender does what. It all depends upon a person’s likes and dislikes. If, for example, person A is great at making money and loves it, then person A should do what he or she loves. If person B is great at homemaking and loves it, then person B should do what he or she loves.

Also, the physical and mental limitations on someone could really affect the decision as to whether to be a homemaker or not. Let’s say person A is someone who wishes he or she could work, but suffers from anxiety and depression or has arthris or a poor immune system, perhaps person A would love to do things at home, where Person A could easily access the appropriate resources (food, bed, excercise, comfort) to remain healthy while also being productive at home.

I have anxiety and depression (which is why I used that as an example), and I also have a very bad leg, which will require surgery. I have a Master’s degree, I became a counselor, and I’ve realized that I simply want to be a homemaker who does some side work through home (like writing, creating arts and crafts and selling them, baking, working with dogs).

There’s nothing wrong with this, although the feminist society makes us feel as though there is. :( That’s so sad. In addition, if you read personal/single ads, sometimes you’ll read Men’s ad’s that say horrific things about women in the home such as “I won’t take care of some woman who just wants to sit around and do nothing”. That’s just so hurtful to read those types of personal ads.

I’d love to stay home. I hope someday I find a nice gentleman who loves me to stay home, and be with my dogs, and make meals, and have a little side income from a small home business. That is my ideal. And I am no longer ashamed of it.

By: Home Ever After

Home Ever After — Sat, 14 Mar 2009 01:31:21 +0000

@BarbaraLee: It’s so true that there’s always a way that things just work out, you just have to have faith.

Barbi

By: Home Ever After

Home Ever After — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 17:02:39 +0000

@Avril: Thank you for coming out of hiding! You are welcome, and as uneasy as I was about publishing something so very personal, I’m very glad I did. You are the reason why! If I only reached one person with this blog, and reminded them that it’s okay to live your life and own your decisions, it would all be worth it.

Congratulations to you for taking the step forward, for choosing to design your life by what you think is right! Hang in there, and if I can help with anything, feel free to ask.

Barbi

By: Avril

Avril — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 15:58:30 +0000

I wanted to come out of hiding just to say Thank You so very much for publishing that essay. That’s exactly the place I am in at the moment.

It’s encouraging to read that essay and now that you came out the other side doing what you wanted to do and what was best for both you and your family.

So once again, thank you.

By: angie

angie — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 02:56:14 +0000

Good for you

By: BarbaraLee

BarbaraLee — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 01:29:34 +0000

I hated to go to work and drop my kids off. I did daycare so I could stay home w/them. That was a joke too. It doesn’t help that the prices of everything are beyond our means no matter how frugal we are.
But I do know that when God is involved things work out. Following His plan is what makes things work.

By: Home Ever After

Home Ever After — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 16:46:25 +0000

@Liz: Thank you! I think part of the role of an older (or experienced) homemaker is to help the younger women to find their way, and I hope so much that women like you and I offer a guiding light of help when people are looking for a way.

Barbi

By: Home Ever After

Home Ever After — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 16:43:38 +0000

@Jenny Beth: Thank you!I agree 100%. I am so glad you liked the article- and I hope it helps other people to feel more trusting of their instincts as well! Thanks so much for leaving a comment.

Barbi

By: Christin

Christin — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 13:24:03 +0000

What great inspiration! Thank you for sharing.
As a homemaker I’ve been thinking about doing at home business. It’s difficult to find the time, though, taking care of 4 little ones AND homeschooling. But maybe in the future. :)

By: Liz @ Hoosier Homemade

Liz @ Hoosier Homemade — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 11:52:07 +0000

Amen, sister! I felt the same way for many, many years! Great post!

By: Jenny Beth @ JenuineJen

Jenny Beth @ JenuineJen — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 04:54:48 +0000

Great post! Sometimes it is hard to step outside of the comfort zone and live up to your expectations not to the world’s expactations. Thanks for giving others the courage to follow their hearts and dreams.

By: Home Ever After

Home Ever After — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 04:23:12 +0000

@momstheword: And by the way, your family is your empire! Build it gladly and happily – you rock!

Barbi

By: Home Ever After

Home Ever After — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 04:11:59 +0000

@momstheword: That is fantastic! Good for you, for doing what you felt was right! That initial decision of me leaving the workplace to stay home was what started me into frugal living. What a great choice! Congratulations to you – and you shouldn’t say “that’s all”… that’s A LOT!

Barbi