© Kayleigh & Katie-Mae
People say I’m selfish, that I should go out to work but I don’t want my kids brought up by someone else, being around strangers and having to miss out on the 1st things a baby does, not be there when they need a cuddle – Says Kimberley
I’m Kimberley and I live with my partner whose 26 along with my 2 daughters Kayleigh who’s nearly 4 and Katie-Mae who is 2. I became a stay at home when I was 17. I fell pregnant at 16 while I was in college studying hairdressing; I had to leave due to going into early labour.
I had the choice to go back and put her into nursery, I decided not to as I didn’t want to miss out on her life and didn’t like the thought of my baby being closer to a stranger and them watching her 1st steps her 1st words .
There are loads of positives to becoming a stay at home mum, you never miss out on their achievements and they put a smile on your face every day.
You are the one to do everything for them and see the outcome of what you have done for your children.
There has been negative sides to being a stay at home, when my partner had to go back to work 2 days later leaving me to do it on my own when I didn’t recover properly and when I had depression I began to feel lonely. I had no choice but to do things with her.
It felt like people were judging me and believed I wasn’t a good mom or doing my job properly. My partner didn’t understand what I was going through.
Having to stay at home with a baby who was ill and in and out of hospital was draining, I lost all my friends too.
People say I’m selfish, that I should go out to work but I don’t want my kids brought up my someone else, being around strangers and having to miss out on the 1st things a baby does, not be there when they need a cuddle.
There are some many rewarding things to being a stay at home mum; you get to see all those smiles and just being there all the time for them.
My advice on becoming a stay at home mom is that you need patience, to understand your life is your children you don’t have much me time to yourself or to be able to go out. I think being around your children is the most important thing.
I don’t think there is support out there, I think they should be more clubs where mums could go to meet other stay at home moms, to share experiences so you don’t feel alone.
I don’t have time for myself, I don’t go out as I am too busy looking after my girls. I meet every couple months with my best friend, she doesn’t have any children but is really supportive when i do meet her I take my girls with me as don’t like leaving them.
When I do get out on my own, its lovely to sit back and relax, but I wouldn’t change being a stay at home mum for anything. I wouldn’t have it any other way.
To know I see my daughters grow up, was there every moment, to hear I love you mom and witness the things they have achieved, I can look back and smile and know I have done my best for them by being there.
