SAHM-Cleaning help

PassionFruit

Wed, Mar 30 2016, 12:45 pm

SAHM: 3 kids under 4 home all day. DH home for 2.5 hours a day [1.5 with kids, 1 with me]. 2 hours of babysitting during OT appointment for one kid and occasionally during dr. appointments for one of us. 3 hours of cleaning help/w.

mommy3b2c

Wed, Mar 30 2016, 12:50 pm

Sahm with one baby home all day. Two kids in school. 12-14 hours cleaning help. Husband never home and does not contribute to housework or childcare. Will occasionally run an errand.

amother

Beige

Wed, Mar 30 2016, 12:54 pm

At the moment just a baby at home, though there have been times where I had 2 kids at home. I've always had cleaning help, even as a newlywed. I have increased the amount with each kid. I have 3 kids and about 20 hrs per week of cleaning help (4 hours times 5 days a week).

mommyla

Wed, Mar 30 2016, 1:27 pm

WAHM with toddler home and older child in school. Commuting husband who's not home much. 3 hours help weekly (I'd like a couple more but not too many). I like to do my own laundry and my house isn't all that big, so I don't need much, but I'd love to have someone every day for 45 minutes to wash my dishes! (That's the household task I hate the most.)

sky

Wed, Mar 30 2016, 1:51 pm

mommyla wrote:

I think WAHM and SAHM are two different ballgames. I Work from home with a baby 32 hours\week, and cannot do anything house hold related during that time.

gold21

Wed, Mar 30 2016, 1:54 pm

Staying at home with little kids means there are kids at home all day, wrecking the house.

So, yes, I think cleaning help is certainly in order.

Last edited by gold21 on Wed, Mar 30 2016, 2:32 pm; edited 1 time in total

mommyla

Wed, Mar 30 2016, 1:57 pm

sky wrote:

I think WAHM and SAHM are two different ballgames. I Work from home with a baby 32 hours\week, and cannot do anything house hold related during that time.

I work part-time, flexible hours, for myself. So laundry gets done as I work, I can wash a sinkful of dishes or put up dinner when I need a break. Or I can do household stuff during the day or when my toddler is up, then work during naptime or at night, or vice-versa. B"H for this job Very Happy

When I wasn't working I didn't have cleaning help.

amother

Gold

Wed, Mar 30 2016, 2:02 pm

Not sure what you meant by "more than one kid home all day." Only my toddler is home all day. My big kids go to school. They come home at various times in the afternoon and evening. My husband is rarely home, and contributes nothing to housework or childcare. He earns a living, b"h. My big kids help in small ways, but they also need my help with lots of things. I have no paid help. I do, however, have the privelege of spending lots of time with my kids. (I do think it would be harder to work and also do everything I do. All the tasks I do would need to be squished into a much smaller, and more hectic, time frame.)

juggling

Wed, Mar 30 2016, 2:05 pm

gold21 wrote:

Staying at home with little kids means there are kids at home all day, wrecking the house.

So, yes, I think lots of cleaning help is certainly in order.

For those who can afford it. For some people, the lack of a second income means not having things like cleaning help.

gold21

Wed, Mar 30 2016, 2:17 pm

juggling wrote:

For those who can afford it. For some people, the lack of a second income means not having things like cleaning help.

I hear. Of course. I mean when possible it should be budgeted in.

amother

Aubergine

Wed, Mar 30 2016, 2:25 pm

Not trying to be rude but for those sahms with only 1 kid home during the day what are you doing while the cleaning lady is there 10+ hours a week? What is she doing all that time?

scrltfr

Wed, Mar 30 2016, 2:30 pm

I have one at home and one in school for 3 hours. I have about 5 hours a week, every other week I get an extra four. I don't get mani pedi, don't go out to eat, etc. This is my luxury. I straighten everyday and do my own laundry but I just can't keep up. While she's cleaning I take the baby out shopping.

littleprincess

Wed, Mar 30 2016, 2:32 pm

I'm a sahm with a toddler and 2 children in school. I have 4-5 hours cleaning help a week. One hour for ironing which I hate doing. I'm forever busy cleaning and my toddler keeps me very busy.
I don't need more cleaning help. Dh contributes a lot. And my oldest helps with wiping dishes.

PassionFruit

Wed, Mar 30 2016, 2:34 pm

amother wrote:

Not trying to be rude but for those sahms with only 1 kid home during the day what are you doing while the cleaning lady is there 10+ hours a week? What is she doing all that time?

It really depends on the age. A toddler makes messes. A lot. All the time. A 4 months old will mostly be on a schedule and you can end up with regular breaks.
That said, there are so many factors...a new mom with her first can be very, very overwhelmed, I know I was!
At this point in my life, with 3 kids under 4 home, I could literally have a maid following us all day, and I don't think it could ever be perfect. I learn to appreciate my 3 hours/w as a morning off, not a substitute. If we had more money, I would certainly hire more.

gold21

Wed, Mar 30 2016, 3:00 pm

amother wrote:

Not trying to be rude but for those sahms with only 1 kid home during the day what are you doing while the cleaning lady is there 10+ hours a week? What is she doing all that time?

How much is 10 hours anyway? 5 hours twice a week. Probably one of those days is erev shabbos. Thats not full-time help.

Taking care of a baby/toddler at home is an important task, which for some reason has lost value in todays society. However, the same people who question how a sahm with a child at home stays busy, would happily pay a babysitter 10-12 dollars an hour to watch their baby/toddler in their home while they work, and would not question how the babysitter keeps busy.

amother

Crimson

Wed, Mar 30 2016, 3:02 pm

amother wrote:

Not trying to be rude but for those sahms with only 1 kid home during the day what are you doing while the cleaning lady is there 10+ hours a week? What is she doing all that time?

Posted this on the other one, but will copy it here.

I'm sorry, why do you need to have more than one at home to be a SAHM?

I have a very cute 1 year old who gets into everything, and makes huge messes within seconds, but doesn't let me get anything done. If she so much as sees me head toward the kitchen, she comes running and screaming to be held. And guess who doesn't like to take naps either.
Now, I love being home with her and do it by choice, but let me tell you, it is not easy. I had a way easier time when I was working.
My husband is out all day, comes home for dinner and goes right back out after to learn so he's not helping either.

Do you not find yourself exhausted and your house a mess by Sunday night after you've had the kids all day?

No, I don't have full time help, but I wish I could have 10+ hours a week

amother

Beige

Wed, Mar 30 2016, 3:04 pm

amother wrote:

Not trying to be rude but for those sahms with only 1 kid home during the day what are you doing while the cleaning lady is there 10+ hours a week? What is she doing all that time?

Nursing the baby takes up a large chunk of the day. I need to get a nap in order to function for the time being because said baby doesn't let me sleep much at night. Carpooling the older kids takes up about an hour and half of my day, which is time that can't be spent on other things like dealing with appointments or utilities or insurance or various other administrative tasks. I also place a high priority on cooking healthy and from scratch, which takes time and makes a mess that I don't want to clean up.