Man you SAHM's inspire me....I have only been a SAHM for 17 months and I don't think I am very good at it....though I enjoy it (I hated my job as an accountant....but never had the guts to change)....I feel like all I do is pick up toys...I also watch my soon to be 5 year old niece (with my 17 month old son) and run her to and from preschool 2 1/2 days a week...but I really do feel like I never have anything truly under control. I am a terrible cook (much better baker) I have about 5 things I know how to cook and we are so getting tired of eating them! I just really hate it! Its not the cooking that bothers me nearly as much as the PLANNING whats for dinner...and if I go through cook books there is inevitably something that I dont have and I just lack the energy to pack up two kids to run to the grocery store for that one thing. I dont keep a particularly super clean home (my kitchen is kept clean) but the toys and kids book clutter drive me too DISTRACTION....I am one of those people who gets overwhelmed and then instead of starting on something...I just dont know where to begin.

I love mowing the yard and I actually dont mind laundry but thats about the end of the story!

WELL, I am not a SAHM, I work 50+ hrs a week and am raising my two boys aged 7 and 8 alone... so I guess if I were to answer your question, well, I don't have a DH and seem to still get everything done. You learn alot when you become a single mom. I still make important time with the boys for play time and activities, as well as involve them in my decorating (only when approproate, of course.. ) They know that their mom does the fun cake deco stuff so they can have some extra things sometimes too!! They do have their own chores, So I guess you could call them my LM(little men!) They are responsible for feeding and letting in and out the dog, feeding their fish, helping with dinner, setting the table, writing down what we need at the store on a list on the fridge if they are the one to discover we are in need of something... and they love to do yardwork. On the plus side, how many of you with DH's can send them to time-out for 10 minutes, and still be able to tickle them into a smile and always get an "I love you" no matter what?? I am raising my boys to be self sufficient, and respectful, as well as good citizens of our town... ok , i've said enough- over and out. -B.

Hey!! This is fun!! and very interesting..
Well I've been a stay at home mom seems like FOREVER!!! My children are 16, 13, 14 and 4. Where to begin.. ok.. Well I clean, OF COURSE! I cook, he cooks on Sundays if not we go out to eat..woohoo I get a break! I wash clothes.. I only really have to wash mine, 13 and 4 yrs. clothes.. The 14 and 16 yr. old think I dont know how to wash their clothes... (rolling eyes)
Hubby wears uniform and his job cleans those.. He is very seldom out of uniform.. Poor thing.. I got real tired of going to grocery store "daily" for things I need in the kitchen.. So we made this "dinner Menu" thing.. My children all get to pick one meal out of the week that they want me to make and we get to choose too.... ( in the summer, they actually cooked what they wanted to eat). Every Sunday we get a list of everything we need for each meal. And we go shopping.. We started eating "healthy", due to heart problems (hubby is only 34) we had to take out all fatty foods and oils..So our grocery bill is never under 150 a week!!!! OUCH!
Anyhow, we go together to get groceries.. Tues. is trash day... So Monday I gather all the garbage around the house and bag it.. He takes out the trash cans on his way out to work on Tues. He mows the lawn.. I use too.. But I got lazy!!! This is to cute, by son (4yr.old) waits for his poppa to get home to bathe with him.. It's like a "big boy" thing for him.. And who fixes things.. Well my husband is Jack of all trades.. He can build an engine, fix a toilet, tile, sheetrock, roof, replace windows, do electrical work... There's isnt a thing my husband cant do.. We have been in our home for 13 yrs. and never hired a contractor for anything (unless it required a permit).. We have remodled our home from top to bottom..As for my teenage children.. They pretty much hold their own " eat, sh*t and sleep".. (sigh) the life of teenagers!!! LOL

I am a SAHM of a 12 and 14 year old. I homeschool the boys and hubby works for FEMA so I never know when he will be home if at all. When he is here we split the housework pretty equally. The boys take care of mowing the lawn and things like that but when hubby is gone I learn to live with things being a little less spotless than normal. I'm still fairly new at decorating cakes but I have always been a baker (breads, pies and the like). When hubby is gone I limit baking to three days a week so I am not so busy. Fortunately for me hubby is great so I get LOTS of help when he is home!

I've been a SAHM for about 11 years now (foster children and my own), but I am currently hoping to go to work with the school district because it would fit into my schedule perfectly.

Anyway, since my children are now 9,9, and 7, it is my responsability to teach my children to pick up after them selves and to work as part of a family unit, so we usually clean as a group. Since the kitchen is my playground, I keep it clean. But I am also in charge of scheduling, bill paying, and errands. I also make sure that schoolwork is done and that all issues that need dealing with are complete. However, once DH hits the door in the evening, he is a co-parent with all of his responsabilities as such.

As far as laundry goes, we all go to the laundromat on weekends. The kids are in charge of folding their clothes (I had enough of washing and folding clean clothes that didn't quite make it to the dressers).

Trash is DH's job.. he takes it out in the morning as he leaves for work. We both share cooking (his nights for cooking means we order out), but he helps the kids with sandwiches and stuff. As far as shopping goes, we do it all together. That way the kids can have their input on what we buy (fruit, snacks, meals, etc...)

Don't think I don't do anything though.... I am also the residential manager for the building we live in, so I also have to deal with contractors, tenants, etc....

I'm with you bunit! I've always worked and I'm a single mom, too. In addition to my full-time job as a cancer researcher, I have my baking business and I own a small farm. I NEVER sit down and I wouldn't have it any other way. I get so much satisfaction from knowing that I can do everything by myself...from fixing my tractor, to making a wedding cake, to profiling serum proteins in the lab. My daughter is being raised to be a strong, independent woman and she sees that you don't need a man around to support you finacially or otherwise. I'm lucky to have a wonderful man in my life (we DO NOT live together) but I don't expect his help. If he offers, that's great. If not, oh well, it's my house, my farm etc., I'm more than capable of handling it alone.

I am not a SAHM, my DH and I ride to work together. We have a 45 min to 1 hr drive each way depending on traffic.

My jobs are:
House cleaning
Laundry
Cooking
Grocery shopping (we usually do this together)

DH:
Bills
Mowing Yard, trimming, etc. (he's very picky how his yard looks!)
Repairs around the house - he's good at that! He contracted our house out!

We have 2 sons - 1 is still at home - he's 16. His jobs are:
Homework
Clean room
Take out trash
Helps dad with yard work (mows grass most of the time) (plus mows grass for other people)
Gives the dog a bath once a week (so our house doesn't smell like dog!)
Will vacuum when told.

When it's cake time, they know to leave me alone. We usually have something simple for dinner!

I'm a SAHM with 3 kids 2 boys ages 8 and 5, and 1 girl age 2. I normally do the housework and all the cooking( I really don't like other people in my kitchen!). My husband does the outside house stuff and deals with the cars. Except for when he's gone like roght now. Then I do it all. He's in the army and in Iraq right now so I'm even learning to mow the yard.

MJW15618, Thanx for agreeing. I wasn't trying to toot my own horn, but i think it's important for people to realize that there isn't always "another" to do other jobs around the house, to keep it running. I also work in a Lab, a clinical lab in a hospital. I never thought I would hear about serum and protiens on CC! Funny! What a wonderful job you have, as well as an important one! Good for you! May the electrophoresis gods be with you! -B.

I'm a SAHM to 3 kiddos ages 7,6 & 1. I do all cleaning and gardening, we have the mowing done by a yard service because it is a few acres, I do all the kid stuff like baths, homework, feeding, taking to school & activities.

DH sometimes cooks and will keep the older kids if he is home and I need to go someplace. He is very busy with work and we just compromise. I figure since he works hard all day he shouldn't have to work when he gets home too, he does play with the kids though. I have a 3 story home and if I can stay away from CC a little I am capable of keeping it clean lol. He has all vehicle maintenance done too Oh & he takes care of the finances, so IMO its pretty equal.
Its good to see so many sahm's here, I had no idea there were so many of us lol.

Ok I will jump on the bandwagon
I do everything else including remodeling.

My DH
Trash
Lawn mowing Not fertilizing-I do that
Dog Poo duty
and shoveling the snow!

I was stay at home for six years but actually worked a couple of days a week and dd cakes!

My thought on it is that he won't move furniture to vacuum so I just do it all over again anyway!

Oh he unloads the dishwaher too-He cannot get nearly as many dishes in it as I can!

I've got a beef here... let me vent please.

OK, I'm a professional voice actor which means basically I'm unemployed 99.99% of the time and the rest of the time I'm at SAHM of two, one is at home in college (on autopilot so to speak now), the youngest (9 year old) - I home school. My hubby works about 50 hours/week and makes more than enough money that I don't have to work (I have a PhD. and I don't feel like I'm wasting it!) We refuse to let strangers raise our kids!

However.... in HIS mind "I make the money. That's my job, you're at home so everything else is your job." end of subject!!!!!

Other than the paycheck he provides (which I could do very well myself!) he does one thing and one thing only around here... the dishes. I made a deal with him a few years ago that if he wanted to eat then he'd better clean up whatever mess was made in preparing the food for him to eat or there will be no more meals made in the kitchen. He doesn't cook, he can't boil water, he can't even figure out how the microwave works! So he agreed.

At least I don't have to do the yard work anymore either. His solution wasn't to do it himself when I complained... no... he asked me to hire a landscaper to do it for me instead! OK, so I did, so now I don't have to do the yard work anymore, my allergies were killing me!

I did stop doing his errands though. Now he delivers and picks up his own dry cleaning (I sure don't have any anymore!). And he takes his car to a car wash to get it washed instead of me washing it.

When the kids were younger, I changed the diapers, I bathed them, I did everything for them, still do. He complains that he doesn't interact with the kids.. and doesn't have anything in common with them. Really Shurlock?

Also, he complains that he doesn't know where stuff is around here (we've lived in this house for 3+ years now). I tell him where to find it and he does a half- a** attempt at looking and whines for me to "fetch".

Sometimes I just want to drop kick his butt right out of here!

ahhh, that feels better, thanx

I have been at home since I was pregnant with my one and only child. I homeschool him, make cakes, do machine quilting for money, and go to school myself while DH works 40 hours a week. I do most of the housework--cleaning, laundry, cooking, but son does help with the dishes and picking up after himeself which is about 90% of the messes here. DH teaches my son on Monday because he works 4 10 hour days and he wants to do it. Since he sucked me into helping with the Cub Scouts he has picked up more of the things I did do like mowing.

Hey BUNIT....not only the electrophoresis gods, but the mass spectrometry gods, too! It seems like we have a lot in common. I know what you mean about "tooting your own horn". My friends that don't work can't seem to comprehend the fact that when I say I'm busy and I can't hang out with them, I really mean that I'm busy. I don't have time for alot of socializing, especially during the summer when I spend every Saturday selling my baked goods at the farmer's market and the rest of the week getting ready for Saturday when I get home from my "real" job. Throw in all the outdoor work (gigantic organic veggie garden, small orchard, heck...just cutting almost three acres of grass every week!) and yep, absolutely NO time. But like I said, I have a lot of faith in myself and my ability to provide for my daughter. Where there's a will, there's a way.

My DH works 5 days a week at his job and runs a risk management consultancy from home. Oh, and he's always studying for some professional exams.

He's often too tired to help out when he gets home from work, but he does try sometimes. I tell him that most jobs around the house need to be done tired!

I am largely responsible for our 10mth and 2yr olds, ironing, cooking, cleaning, mowing the lawn, laundry, washing up, most of it actually. I also am responsible for managing his business and mine. Sometimes I feel like superwoman! He does the dishes, cooks occassionally, irons each time the moon turns blue and moans about being tired all the time.

That being said, he is fantastic about getting up early to bathe and feed the kids before he goes to work most mornings, and I do get the odd cup of tea in bed. I wouldn't have my life any other way. If I didn't hve enough to do, I would be climbing the walls.

I give much credit to the SAHMs!! I work full time and handle most of the HH chores. There is no way that I could stay home with my 6 & 4 year old boys, (financially or otherwise), I really need to work to protect my sanity.

My DH is extremely handy and handles all of the maintenance on our home and his mother's and yard work. We both handle the kids' baths, homework etc.

My life is busy, but I thoroughly enjoy cake decorating and the sense of satisfaction that I feel knowing that I'm taking good care of my family.

I am a stay at home mom of a 3 year old and twin 10 month olds. My DH works fulltime. I basically do everything, all the cleaning, cooking, caring for the kids (DH does help with feeding the kids at dinner), managing the finances, errand running and gardening. I do it all but I love caring for my family. I can't wait until I take my first cake decorating class. DH said he would watch the kids while I attend. Just waiting on a convenient class to start. I found this website while pregnant and on bedrest with the boys and I have been hooked since then on baking and decorating.

I was a sahm with my second husband until kids left home and my honey worked, maintained cars and did the yard work and repairs around the home. I did everything else. Once kids moved out I went back to school and he said once he retired we would trade jobs. Well we got custody of our grandaughters just as I started working and he stuck to our agreement and did a wonderful job. He woke up early with the girls made our breakfast got us on our way, did the housework, laundry ect. He had snacks ready for girls when they got home, supervised their homework, made dinner ect.. He also went to all school meetings, doctor's appts. for girls, award ceremonies and coached their softball team. He did a great job!!! He did this for 2 years while we had the girls, 2 weeks after they went back to live with their mother he said "I QUIT" I will pay you to stay home. Of course I jumped at the chance, he went back to work and now we both share all the chores inside and out. We both had a chance to walk in each others shoes and learned to appreciate each other more!!!!

I have been a SAHM for 9 years to my three boys, 9,6 and 3. I clean, do bills, cook some(he grills and makes dinner 1-2 times a week) and take care of the boys. I also have my own Avon business and am an assistant for two Avon districts (about 800 people total) My hubby works 50-72 hours a week so he does a lot of the "little" things that need done. He does any plumbing, electrical, carpentry and "daddy" things(not a little thing, things like PS2 issues, playing adventure games with the boys, coaching soccer for two teams, ect..)
We have been married 10 years now, he does a little more sometimes and I do a little less sometimes, it all works out though! He is a great inspitation and role model for our boys. I never have a dull or quiet day, good thing we are still young!