SAHM

[FarmerDenise]

I took in one child 3 days a week, it was what the parents needed. I didn't charge very much, because it was a friend's daughter and they took our daughter sometimes. It worked out very well for me, because I made a little extra money and the 2 children enjoyed playing together. It was also more fun to do projects with both little girls, even though they were 3 years apart in age. It was amazing how well they played together. My DD was in school and the friend's little girl was about 3 years younger than my DD.

 

[patandchickens]

Are you looking for ways to make cash money (childcare is the obvious option there) or just things to DO?

If the latter, there are all sorts of SS type things you can do. Learn to make cheese; quilt; learn to knit or crochet; pickle and preserve, this summer; more veg-gardening and soil-improvement; make stuff for your child to play with (trucks, dolls, dollhouses, dress-up costumes, sets of wooden blocks, a swingset, tent, etc etc), etc

Also, staying home can allow you to get the necessities out of the way so that when your DH is available to watch the child, you can work on other projects such as woodworking/carpentry, learn plumbing, learn small engine repair, home repair/improvement projects, constructing things for the backyard, etc.

I stay home with my not-quite-3-yr-old and 5 1/2 yr old (who goes to school 3 days a week) and believe me I have NOOOOOOO excess of free time, and it's not like I actually get all THAT much done

Good luck, have fun,

Pat

 

[Wildsky]

My hubby stayed home with our son for 18 months, then I stayed home with our daughter for 2 years, my hubby didn't do an aweful lot other than housework, and he took my son out every day for walks. When I was home wiht my daughter I sewed and sold cloth diapers and training pants.

I went back to work in an office for a few years, and then quit my job to move out of state, the company wanted to keep me and offered me a work at home job, so thats what I'm doing now, but my kids are now in school most of the day.
I work 6 hours mon-thur the rest of my day and fridays are doing housework and some arts and craft things and then making food.

Time flies.............

 

[patandchickens]

Oh yes, that reminds me, one of the most common at-home 'industries' for SAHM is sewing diapers, diaper covers, slings/carriers, or baby clothes to sell online or in local stores. So if you like to sew and your 3 yr old allows you to do large chunks of it (mine doesnt ), that is another thing to consider if you want $.

Pat

 

[tortoise]

I have sewn slings. I loved them.

 

[tortoise]

Here's another thought - I would LOVE to homeschool. I was homeschooled through 2nd grade. I mentioned that to my SO a while back and he was less than supportive.

Do you think that if I do a lot of "learning" activities with my son and he is showing good progress that I could change my SO's mind?

My son turns 3 next month. He shows almost all the signs of kindegarten readiness except he can't trace shapes very well yet and he needs a little help with scissors sometimes.

He can spell words up to 5 letters. He is learning a new word to spell almost every day and is learning to sound out words. he can count to 30. He can sit through a whole book Dr. Suess length. He can put 3+ age puzzles together without help (he'll do puzzles for a 1/2 hour at a time). He can make patterns with beads and recognize patterns of pictures on paper.

I've been a fan of Montessori-type un-schooling, but this little man is so EAGER to learn that I have a hard time restraining myself from whipping out some flashcards! I wonder how advanced he will be by the time he is old enough for kindegarten?

We spend as long as he can sit still (1/2 hour to an hour) on a preschool workbook. Then he colors the sheets that we worked on, or sheets that I've draw or printed of the internet for him.

I guess we could work on painting? Memorizing days, and months? Maybe telling time?

 

[patandchickens]

Sure, if you are home with the kids you will have more time to help them learn things, but it needn't necessarily be anything different than you'd be doing ANYhow (just you are available for more of the day).

IMO, just find a diversity of fun things for him to do, and *talk* with him (that is the best part of being a SAHM ), and he will soak it all up

If you are hankering to actually Teach Things, my suggestion is to focus on things that are not really school subjects: planting seeds, very simple building-things, very simple sewing, cooking, community/church service (picking up litter, delivering meals, etc). Too many kids miss out on those things, despite school!

Good luck, have fun,

Pat