I am a SAHM. My husband does not want me to work, and even if I did, my paycheck would go solely for daycare for our daughter. I am used to working and paying my own way, though. I’m starting to go stir crazy. I go on walks with our daughter and play with her. I constantly clean our house. I’ve even remodeled parts of the house and bought new decor. My question is: what do all you other SAHM’s do to keep sane?
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You don’t ugh. Take a bath, scream your heart out, cry, binge tv, lean on friends and family
This sounds like I wrote it. Except my youngest is my son 
I have remodeled and redecorated half of our house and now I’m moving to the outside of our house and preparing gardens and flower beds. I’m going nuts being home after working for many years. I’m making many new hobbies for myself besides cleaning the house!
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Cook,clean, watch netflix . Laundry all day … I know the feeling. I’m so ready to go back to work.
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Find a hobby. When I was a SAHM I enjoyed making earrings, puzzles, books, and video games.
Either find a hobby or have another kid 
I thought I was bored and going stir crazy and then I had another and now I don’t have time for anything.
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I work but at nights. Home by 10. So I still do everything for the kids throughout the day & clean, make food, clean again. Take kids to school, the park, & only thing that has been helping me is exercising. I usually never have time for myself except my workout time. I have a gym at home so makes it easy tbh
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Having your own zone/sanctuary. Mini at home escape. Mine was the back porch with all my plants. Moved lost my porch then the freeze killed everything. Time to rebuild. Momma needs her zone back. 4 boys 6,4,2, and a month old. 
My hubby is a SAHD. At first he went stir crazy as well, after he became an at home dad when he got laid off. He was used to working and then he was suddenly “stuck” home. He found a routine to take care of the house and our kiddo. Eventually, he got tired of not having anything extra to do and built an at home business from one of his favorite hobbies (resin crafts). So my suggestion is either develop a hobby, use this time at home to search/research at home all the topics you’ve always wanted to leisurely study, learn a language with your kid, or make your own business just to keep busy! You have lots of options!
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Play dates, have a friend go on a walk with you, invite family over, also good to still do thinks for yourself. So maybe have a family member watch and go get yourself a coffee or your hair done. Go talk with a friend for a bit. It’s definitely hard and feels lonely. If you have people to lean on, definitely use them. Invite them over. Get out of the house when you can. It’s hard being cooped up
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Exercise and have shows/movies to watch
Join groups and do activities like baby gym and swimming, or even just a mums coffee group, make friends, and maybe even help plan and organise child friendly group outings/volunteer.
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I made mom friends. Had play dates with kids and got out. Start a mom group in your area. A lot more moms like you than you think.
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Work from home part time. Online sells
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If you are creative you could make a craft to sell at Christmas or Easter ect so you just work on when you can and stock up for that holiday’s show or craft markets
Where do you all find the time? 6yo 2-1yos and 2-3 mos. seems all I ever get done doing I’d loading the damn dishwasher
If you remodeled then it sounds like you’re crafty! Why not start an etsy store and create to sell. You would have periods of work,still be home,and could make some money. Win-win!
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I wish I had time for extra things lol I have 3 and 1 on the way and I swear I’m busy from the time I get up till the time they go to sleep lmao. I like to paint once in a blue moon tho 
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Make your own at home business. Find something you are good at and market the heck out of it. Me…I like to garden…lol
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Exercise or start homeschooling early no matter what her age is. Spend all your extra time creating age appropriate learning activities for her. If you’re artistic or crafty you can start a home business making a number of things people can buy off of you. Or even cakes.
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Do a job where you work from home online- since Covid so many companies are doing their work from home programs.
What about a side hustle at home. I work full time but also sell Mary Kay and it’s brought in some nice extra income and passes some free time.
I couponed when I was a stay at home mom.
Turn your hobby into business… i paint and do portrait drawings…
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Look at all these crafty ladies 
yeah I’m pretty sure I just drank some and embraced the bat shit crazy I had become 
So I see you said your husband doesn’t want you to work but what do YOU want? Do you want to work? If you want to work make that clear. Some are good with staying home while others aren’t and if you’re not one of them then make it clear to him what you want to do for yourself.
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Gym membership, library, meal prep, play dates, of course household stuff, shower. Ya know mom stuff. Also i believe u should work if u want to.
Join a mother’s group, join any group that is child friendly. Find or start a walking group with other stay at home parents.
I loved it. Joined every mother and toddler club, but I was lucky lots of my friends had children the same age so we met up every day- my daughter was my job - my husband still helped with housework when he got home - lol - although I didn’t stay in the house much !
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I play video games and I like to read and write. I enjoy painting… even stupid little things like rocks to hide around town. Geocaching is fun, depending on how old your daughter is. I also enjoy playing with makeup, photography, and I want to learn how to sew.
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Take pride in your life. Plan things for your lives. Write a book. Read. Exercise. I sure wish i could trade places w you. I already raised my kids. They are all grown up. All went to college. Now i work to make ends meet. Enjoy this gift you have. You never know what the future holds.
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… TiK ToK… we TiK ToK 
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I went back to school online and got my masters
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If the poster can see this, pm me !
I like to crochet. You can make blankets, cardigans, hats. I personally love to do amigurumi (crochet stuffed animals/toys). Start off small with dish cloths and work your way up. I also play alot of video games
I see 2 potential compromises to this… He doesn’t work 24/7. Get a part time job with enough flexibility so you can work when he’s home. Or see if grandparents or a family member will watch the LO a few days a week so you can work… That way you can work outside the home and not have to pay for childcare. My ex husband didn’t want me working because we had 3 kids. Than 13 years in, I found myself on the receiving end of a divorce, starting over without a single penny to my name.
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There’s nothing to truly keep you sane!
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If you have a Bachelors degree teach online with QKids or VIPkids and that way you still get to stay home and earn extra income!
If you want to work then go back to work. It’s 2021 your husband cannot keep you from working. And it is not only your responsibility to pay for childcare that is his child too. If the marriage ended you would literally be starting over with nothing.
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I’d love to be a SAHM .
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You could work from
Home, I do that and sitter is $30/day 8:30-5:30
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I work from home with a health & wellness company it keeps me busy at home, just so I don’t go stir crazy. I have been a sahm for almost 25 years. It’s not easy but I am beyond words grateful. I can say it has kept me out of jail, with all stories you read about daycare & babysitters.
If any of you lovely sahm just need a listing ear. Don’t hesitate. I am here, never feel alone. Be blessed & never stressed 
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Gym that has childcare and a pool.
Get a stay at home part time job. Or do some online classes to better yourself
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Don’t make it all about housework or your daughter. Find time to do a project for yourself. Whether art, reading, and a house project. Start a garden, learn to…idk knit? Lol the point is to do something for YOU. It helps. The older she gets the more you’ll have to do with her to make it “fun”
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Get a hobby, making cards, or scrapbooks , do an online course , start a home day care… or just go get a job
Join other mom meet up groups. They can be great. They have ones for work outs, day trips and play dates. And if there aren’t any in your area- start one!
I can’t give you advice I divorced my husband to stay sane so I’m not the best advice giver lol 
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I’ve got 2 kids and childcare would be too expensive so I started babysitting for other people. It earns a nice extra income, keeps me really busy, teaches my kids to share and socialize, and it helps out other parents who can’t afford professional daycares.
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I work from home my kiddo is school age but I still work & I sell scentsy on the side to make extra money plus who doesn’t love their homes smelling fresh and clean
read mostly its the one way you can connect to the rest of the world.
Nothing , I ran around like a chicken with my head cut off & drank coffee like it was going out of style 
. In all seriousness, I was a SAHM for almost 6 years & miss it now that I’m working 
. We were always doing something whether it was grocery shopping, visiting nana & pawpaw, playing out in the yard , crafts . I also think QUITE TIME is very important where 1-2 hours I made my babies quietly play or watch a movie so I could recoup & be good for the rest of the day . We also went to play grounds or to lunch just to get out .
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Join mom groups that have play time meet ups or if your baby is too young for that do the fit mom groups where they meet up at a park and work out. Or go to a gym that has child care so you can work out and have a break
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Answer: You. Dont.
Just pretend all is well like the rest of us for the next 18 years. None of us are sane. We are all bat shit crazy.
I’ve baby sat, sell Scentsy snd pampered chef, And I make custom shirts! It gives me a little extra money for just me and keeps me busy besides housework and kids! I’m also going back to school in September
1st things 1st no one tells you whether you can or cannot work!
It needs to be 100% your choice.
I am never not busy unless I want to be.
If I’m not doing chores, yard work, or home projects, I’m crafting, sewing, baking, cooking, reading. I have my own little crafting buisness.
Maybe learn a new skill, find a hobby, join a local mommy group.
I was a SAHM for 4 years. Drive me nuts🤣 I staopped working because paying for 2 kids to go to daycare just didn’t make sense. I started doing UberEats whenever I had spare time at night and on the weekends. I started making extra money to help pay bills and fix up my car. Then I began doing grocery delivery with Shipt (BEST DECISION EVER). Now that both of my children are in school (one prek4 and the other 1st grade virtual), I work more fulltime, I can afford to pay for daycare, and still have enough extra money to help pay bills and some money to treat my family. If your husband supports you and you guys work out a schedule that fits fits everyone, you can do it
I have been for over 3 years. I do have a grooming business from home and take breaks a lot. I can Max about 3 days in a row then I need at least a few hours lol. He stays with grandparents only right now.
$19/hr work from home position both part time and full time positions available. They provide all equipment. My husband started with flagstar during the peak of the pandemic when his company shut down with no experience in the banking field or degree. He has moved up quickly with their opportunities for advancement and in company training and certification pathways. They have been a fantastic employer to him and he has never been happier in a working relationship.
Best part is, the remote work had been excellent for our family and solved many childcare issues for us.
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I take xanax. Otherwise I’d run away. 
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MOPS, hiking groups, Free Forest Friends, park enrichment programs, La Leche League
If you have only one child, find fun hobbies and play! enjoy every second on being with your baby
I drive for doordash with my daughter she goes in the stores with me and to the door with me I get to make money and still be with my daughter no daycare and I get out the house
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What makes you think we are sane???
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I owe it all to Wellbutrin 
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I babysat! Kept some money coming in and kept us on a schedule!
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Go to the gym or exercise anywhere. It literally puts my anxiety at almost zero. I work 3 nights a week from home taking food orders for Sysco foods after my husband gets home to see about the girls. I feel positive about being a SAHM and still contributing.
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I am a stay at home mama of three, I have remote learned with my children all school year. I run a photography business, I watch my neighbors old senior dog, I help people out all the time, I babysit when someone needs me, I help my mom and clean her house, I read, I play video games, I go to school myself. Find a hobby.
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I got a job as a nanny and bring my daughter with me 🤷 That comes with its own challenges though
Is there any work from home options around you? Try call centers insurance comapnies… banks…like us bank… then you could work a little but not have to pay for daycare and then it’s also just extra income:woman_shrugging:
if it’s a possibility
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Read a book, take up a craft. When I was a stay at home mom when spouse was in military I kept other kids for moms who worked
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I haven’t figured it out yet as Im still new to this SAHM thing…you guys that have been at it for years are legends.
I made a business myself from scratch working from home but honestly if you can stay home and not work at all enjoy everymoment of it! Your kids are only little once
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With an autistic kid, at that! 
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Girl none of us are sane, welcome to the shit show!
Try to find a job opposite hours of your husband. His not wanting you to work is concerning. Keeping you at home can be abusive. He’s robbing you of stimulation outside the home, having relationships & having your own money. That makes it extra difficult to leave if you feel you need to & can drive you insane. If you absolutely can’t work while he takes care of your daughter look into mommy/baby groups so you can get out of the house. You may also get lucky & find a job that you can take your daughter with you. Some school districts will allow mom’s to take their kids on the bus while you drive. Some daycare centers will give you a discount or free daycare while you work as a cook or assistant. You may also get child care assistance through DHHS.
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I work from home remotely for a credit union. There are many remote jobs online of that’s something you would like. Otherwise focus on the kiddos and finding hobbies or activities yall can do together!
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Why not get a part time night gig waitressing at a local restaurant or somewhere where
You can squeeze in a few work hours, make great money, and get lots of socializing outside the home. I think opposite schedules work and don’t let anyone tell you your taking away from home time. This also puts husband in the driver seat so he can see first hand what moms day is looking like only he gets evening hours. You got this and your doing a great job!
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Send the kids to daycare:joy: in all seriousness though, i have mad respect for stay at home moms -i don’t know how yall do it!
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have 3 more and you’ll never run out of things to do. just kidding 
But in all seriousness, I listen to podcasts while I work and read books while I breastfeed, I workout as a hobby. Fitness is fun for me. Get a hobby, doesn’t have to be fitness stuff.
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I love being a sahm. I feel like I’m on the go a lot, but I enjoy it. I do all the usual sahm things such as meal planning, making appointments, household chores etc, but I also do crafts and little projects with the kids. I read, write short stories, talk to friends and I’m currently working on learning Spanish. I always get up, get dressed, fix my hair and put on a little makeup, even if I’m just staying at home that day. I feel more productive.
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I have six kiddos and was a stay at home mom for most of my life- find a gym that has a daycare. Even better if that gym also has a cafe. Give yourself time to sweat and work on yourself, while knowing baby is taken care of. I also substitute teach high school kids. You pick whenever you want to go in and still make a few dollars here and there. It’s worth it to get out of the house. Kudos, Momma!
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Make crafts, possibly ones you can sell to make your own money. Im not a stay at home mom but some of friends are and they all make different crafts and sell at craft show every so often also
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Who says we are sane? There at at home jobs you can do if your kid can behave. Not sure the age of your kid. There are some at home jobs that are flexible so maybe look into that. I get out sometimes. I have a gym membership that has kid care so that gives me, me time while my son plays with the other kids 🤷
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Well I work 2 days a week that my boyfriend has off …Thursday and Saturday…16hr shifts…so I still have spending money…but the other 5 days a week ,im so lost 
would love to have mom friends!
Who cares what your husband wants he works your daughter is in day care so get a job when she’s in daycare the longer your a stay at home mom when your already going crazy will only lead down a bad path
Same!! I feel like I’m going crazy most days. I have online college that takes up a lot of my time. I try not to worry about cleaning too much because it stresses me out. I go to my parents and in laws almost everyday to have more interaction. I make sure I do things I like, like watching the shows I like or playing a game or just taking walks every couple days. Half of me wants to get a job so bad but I know that daycare would just take up most of the paycheck. I just try to do things out of the house so I don’t go stir crazy. 
Start sewing, designing, Painting, pottery, so much to do! Do something u always wanted to do!
Girl I’m not sane, but even close lol I have 3 toddlers at home under the age of 5 and most days even my medication isn’t enough to keep me from wanting to lose my sht… I love my sweet babies (ok I love them but they aren’t always sweet lol) but ya know day to day. I color a lot to receive my severe anxiety, like severe. I used to work full time too and loved being out and around other purple. I had horrible on best rest pregnancies and was so sick and in and out of hospital… I ran out of sick time and leave within like 3 or 4 months ok the first one so we decided for me to stay home & just try to relax. Fast forward 2 babies later, also long and risky pregnancies, one long stay in the NiCU and thankfully we had family to help us out with our other baby at the time. My husband works like 60 hours a week, he makes really good money so I never have to worry about anything and he never says anything about what I spend and the fact that I don’t work. He always says our money & lets me be free to do whatever for myself and kids and etc as long as bills are paid he is cool. He is a keeper, but sometimes when he comes home and I look like a spaz and the house isn’t picked up yet, I tell him about the day & he looks at me like whoa! Lol he’s former military so it’s all structure and organizing to him and I’m just a sahm of little people and it’s chaos to me lol on the weekends when he does have a day or 2 off, he has had that same expression on his face too and it’s like this unspoken nod between us like, “now you understand why I’m batsht crazy right “ lol seriously though, I think everyone just has to find some kind of vibe for themselves and their family. I love that my kids still take naps for the most part, it’s my score of the day. I get to watch DVR just my shows eat junk and color! Yep I said color, but at least they are adult coloring books hehe
(oh and maybe a little wine just sometimes 
We also have a puppy and a new baby bunny, both of which are like having 2 more babies in the house LOL
I work from home as a Pampered Chef consultant! Best decision I ever made honestly, for my self care and sanity 
Find a hobby and turn it into a home based business 
I would love it if my husband didn’t want me to work lol. Enjoy it girl while you can. I’m so jelly 
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Get passes to things in the city (zoo, museum etc), find a group of mom friends, have a sport/hobby for evenings and weekends, and explore your city - new playground every Monday, walks to different destinations, drive to parks/ravines etc to explore. Keep your kids outside and busy.
I’m no SAHM, I work 0.53 but all evenings and weekends, so I’m never not working or caring for littles. But I LOVE just snuggling on the couch with them, reading books, watching a movie, eating snacks.
Try to make the best of what I’ve got.
Count your blessings if you can afford to stay at home and take care of your family.
I joined the MOMs (Moms offering Moms support) Club and it has been amazing! I’d look in your area to see if there is something similar!
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Find a life; I worked 2 jobs and all the overtime I could get to raise my kids and help them and grandkids get a start in life. I had a very abusive husband who was crazier than a bed bug and was a child pervert to boot . No one gave a -uck or ever helped. Woman up; get a job if you want, get an education, a skill anything that makes you happy. There’s no guarantees in life and hubby may not be around forever. Enjoy life, travel, whatever floats your little happiness boat.
i have 2 little ones and I take mine to the park, pack a picnic and set it up in the back yard, bake cookies, brownies, muffins! Sometimes we just go for rides and listen to music, we have a few free museum/nature trails with animals we go to sometimes, I’d look online to see where there’s free/affordable places you can go! Sometimes we go to the dollar tree and I let my 3 year old pick out a few things, we do screen time, we color/paint/draw, sometimes we just sit on the back porch and hangout, when it’s hot outside I have a little pool my 3 year old can play in! I mainly just try to keep us busy! The busier you are the faster the day goes by lol. If you have mom friends definitely see if they want to hangout! We hangout with out with my friend who has kids the same age and it’s wonderful!!! Also at nap time I watch tv and relax or catch up on chores, sometimes I even nap with them, then when they wake up do it again til bed time lol. Some days I have things planned some days we watch movies and hang out and play around the house! Also when my hubby is off I get out of the house by myself for a few hours and have me time, whether it’s running errands, getting a haircut, getting a pedicure, I just enjoy some time to myself!
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Mommy friends make such a difference!!!