Would you give up your career to raise your kids?

I, for one, gave up my career to be able to take care of my son. I didn't think twice for it because it my son's health at risk (he has asthma). But, for you, what i can say is that you must first talk to your hubby. You must know what are your duties as a mom and he as a dad. Because there will be a time that you will miss your career and you will feel depressed because you will just stay at home while your husband has a life outside your marriage. Meaning, he can be with his friends, he can socialize to colleagues. While, us, is focus in bringing up our family.

I really don hav an anwer to this. If i need to give good life to my kid, I know both parents should be working at our place. so leaving or doing job, both have their own advantages and disadvantages. Presently I am working and I dont know about what situation may come up. I may have to give up my career to raise my kid once my baby needs it from me.......

If there is ever a choice between work and kids I would always choose my kids. I am a working mom. I have a six month old baby and I have not yet gone back to work after my delivery as we have one year maternity leave. The time you spend with your kids is something you will never get back. You are their best teachers, their best role models. you cannot expect anyone else to take that place. The work and its glories can be pursued later n your life but once your kids are grown and gone they are not coming back.

i don't think so because if our life is great our children life will also be great because what we earn is all for them only. SO we have to work hard and achive a great position and our children will have all facilities when we are in a good position.

i was. however, try as i might to have stayed in the working world, i paid attention to signs that i should stay at home since i also know the importance of having a mom in the house. signs just didn't show up and were explained subjectively that i should leave, my body was giving up on the pressures of both the house and work. unimaginable as it seems, i can give up work but i certainly cannot give up the family.

yes.. i have given up my career even to marry my sweet heart.. now i have a kid and spared my career again

If it was a question of my career then maybe yes. But me and there are many like me, to whom a job is not about a career, it is about a necessary contribution to the family finances. So though I would have liked to give up my job long ago, I have not been able to do it so far. my son is already 9yrs old and in a few years time, he wouldn’t need me by his side all the time. If I could give up my job, it had to be now.

yes i would give up my career for my child. although i don't see it as giving it up rather putting it on hold for a while.

I have given up office work when I had children and I have no regrets. I was able to witness their "firsts" and am there anytime they need me. One of the factors that made me decide was seeing other kids prefer their caregivers more over their moms. That scared me especially since the first 5 years of a child's life are their formative years. But let me say too that I admire women who are able to balance work with family. We all have to make choices according to our needs. I have friends who can't afford to quit work due to financial reasons and I totally understand what they're going through. But if your family can make do with what your husband is earning, I would advise you to stay with your kids until at least after they start schooling. I have found that giving up something will always be replaced by something else that will also give you satisfaction. Now, I do freelance writing work and am able to earn while still being here with the kids. God has given me a way to compensate for the excitement and fulfillment that work can bring. I can honestly say I have the best of both worlds.

Only you can answer this one, betty. I worked as an insurance adjuster when my kids were born. I did give it up to stay at home with them and babysit and work odd jobs for money. I was making great money and had the potential to make even greater money. I loved my job too so it was a real tough decision and one my boss argued with me against as I chose the kids. They are grown now and in order to get back in the same field, I'd have to take some courses etc. Finances don't allow it so I am just working a regular job to get by. Sometimes, like when reading a post like yours, I wonder if I did the right thing but mostly I don't think about it. It was the right thing at the time for us. What you have now may not be there in the future...that is true. You are the only one who can make this decision for you. There is no right or wrong answer and no one here is in your position. Ok...my daughter opted to continue on her career path and has moved up and also has no regrets other than at times she gets stressed with keeping up with the kids and when one is sick...sports...etc. Still...she is a great mom and it is a personal decision really.

If I will be given a chance to choose between career and being a mom I would prefer to be a mom. The reason is that I wanted to raise my own child well and to see him grow in my arms. I wanted to take care of him personally so that he will grow with confidence and the needed attitude to be strong to survive. But since it is very hard to sustain a living nowadays I would prefer to work and hire a nanny to take care of my son. I wanted to help my husband with the finances at home and to give the best things to my son. That would definitely make me very happy. When I arrive home from work then I will continue taking care of my son. I wanted to give him all the love in the world. If I could only have enough money I and my husband will venture into food business so that we are the boss and that we can take care of our son all the time because we will hire some people to manage the business for us. But that is only possible if we have enough capital.

technically I did...LOL, I got laid off due to downsizing after 9/11 and got pregnant while I was on unemployment, so I just never went back to work. my son if going to be 6 this year and my daughter just turned 1, now that my son is in school part time I am trying to find time on the computer to make a little extra cash to help out.

I gave up my career to become a stat at home mom. I don't have any regrets and I would do it all again in a heart beat. They grow up so fast, and I couldn't stand the thought of missing one moment. I figure they are only little once, and jobs come and go you'll never have this time back with your kids. Its different if you can't afford to do it but personally I think if you are able to stay at home with them do it! Good Luck to you!

I'm not a mom but I can relate to this. I'm an Engineer and I quit my job in order for me to take care of our first baby. Due to the circumstances and practicality, we decided for me to take the role of a Homedad. Our son is 9 month old now and I'm proud to say that I did a great job. No regrets. I learned a lot of things and enjoyed it. Remember they don't stay as a baby for a long time so I see it as an opportunity.

I'm not yet married and don't have kids but if ever I will be a mother maybe if I need to give up my career then I'll do it for my kids and for the good of the family.. Well, I can still help my husband to earn money through online, right?? I know that its not that a great idea but at least I've done something to help financially.. Career is the most important to everyone of us especially if you're still a single and don't have a big responsibility yet but being a mother is also a career for life time and this is the most difficult career that a women can have.. If I need to give up everything for my family then of course I don't need to think it twice because family is more important than a career..

Hey! Hi there! this is just such a common feature you see now a days. No doubting that your career, one which you have built up over the years is so hard to give up but all the same, kids today need all the attention you can give them.i have yet to face this dilema in my life, but all the same, i have made up my mind that once such a situation arises, my priority will undoubtedly be my kids. the security that you can give them in the initial years is what they carry lifelong.sure i agree that what you have now may or may not come back once you decide to go back but hey, i feel that's a very very small price to pay when you see the happiness and sense of security you see in your kids. don't you agree?

ah this is like a double edged sword. Well i do want to concentrate in my career but at the same time i would like to make sure that i am around to take care of my kids. If my partner is not willing to be a stay at home dad, then i would definitelt give up my career for my kids. I would preferably be a work-at-home mom and try to earn money that way..

i was a stay at home mom and went o college at tight part time.....Its hard but too many children today are lacking being parented. If you can stay home and nurture those that you helped create and love. When children are young thats when they develope and its there youth that determines the outcome....Gosh I have said it so many times today..." the child is the father of the man" frued....Its when they are young that you have the most influence over who they become....Take the opportunity to be a full time parent if you can....And befor anyone yells at me I know some parents have to work...I was a 3rd shift waitress for a year when the kids were real young cuz we needed the money to survive...but i was there for the kids all day....many moms have no choice and you are sacrificing a lot to be both parents.....my country however the USA needs to have more parents at home parenting

I didn't have much of a career, but I recently quit my job and have been spending a ton of time at home with my daughter. I love it. I wish I could do it full time but I cannot find a legit stay at home job. If anyone has positive dealings with any on line companies who may be hiring please let me know. Being a stay at home mom is great. I always said I never would want that, until it happened. :)

My son is almost 7 months old and I'm struggling with the same problem. Over the holidays I, too, got to spend lots of time with my son and now that I'm back to work I find myself missing him more every day. He's growing so fast and I feel guilty for working even though I know that I'm working for him - to provide him with everything he needs. Are there any Moms who work from home? Is it any better?