I’ve entered a troubling new phase of my stay-at-home mum journey. I’m feeling bad about Husband slaving in an office to support me. I hate asking him for money every time my bank balance hits zero. I keep thinking: “He must resent me for lazing around, going to the gym, mucking about on the computer all day …” Especially when he has to plonk cash on the kitchen bench every Thursday for someone other than his stay-at-home wife to do the housework (while she amuses herself at the local shopping centre – scored some very cute bunny slippers at Target yesterday). Surely a stay-at-home mum should do the housework herself? Even if the thought of scrubbing a shower fills her with horror. I’m not totally idle. I wash, I tidy, I bake, I transport the Sprogs to their various activities, I make the school lunches (yesterday I sent Husband off with breakfast – a homemade strawberry muffin, mandarin and muesli bar in a little brown baggie). Husband also gets a home-cooked dinner every night. But he’s always had a home-cooked dinner, because even when I worked long hours I was a bit obsessive about cooking. Strangely, Husband is not resentful of my carefree existence. In fact, he’s delighted. Whenever I mention going back to work he looks a bit green and tries to change the subject. It’s not like he’s the barefoot-and-pregnant type or anything like that. He just loves how much easier his life is now, not having to drop the kids at school, pick them up from childcare, race them home at 7pm for fractious homework before bedtimes stories. He can go to work when he wants, stay as long as he needs. The work vs home pressure is off. And he’s thrilled by how relaxed the kids have become. They’re no longer dragged from pillar to post. Mum picks them up from school and takes them home (or to gymnastics, or trumpet lessons or art classes …). They get a bath/shower every night. They do their homework before they’re deranged with exhaustion. It’s pretty damn fantastic. I’m not suggesting mums (or dads) should toss in satisfying careers for the sake of their children. I want a satisfying career again myself one day. When that happens, the Sprogs can suck it up, princesses. But, right now, living in a one-working-parent household is a revelation. Well, apart from the non-working-parent-not-earning-any-money bit.
housegoeshome 
I was just thinking on this, last night. Not the money issue. But the fine line between making a life with less stress or ‘stuff’ and what often feels like me not trying or giving up. I often have this feeling of having gone too far as my house descends into chaos and mess!
ps very stepford the brown bag with breakfast goodies!!
Husband reckons I should just relax and enjoy it, but the “given up” feeling persists.
I AM working full time and still find it difficult to justify paying someone else to do my cleaning so I continue to flog myself with housework after the paid-working week is done. But that’s me. I have hang-ups about money.
I think it’s great that you both are really happy with your current arrangement! Good on you! Work schmirk. The work/parenting balance is a myth. It’s impossible to have it all at once. Enjoy being at home! Then when you go back to work, enjoy that too. That’s what I reckon.