How many jobs is being a stay-at-home mom?
It's a tough job raising kids that takes a lot of time. A 2018 study conducted by Welch's found working moms clock an average of 98 hours per week. That's about the same as working 2.5 full-time jobs.
A stay-at-home mom works many jobs throughout the day. They're a nurse, chauffeur, chef, teacher, playmate, housekeeper, laundry attendant, accountant, and babysitter all rolled into one. While there's no such thing as a typical day, this sample schedule gives you an idea of what her day involves.
Finding a job after being a stay-at-home parent is more common than in years past. Companies can find talented candidates in those returning to work, though it's important to recognize the transition.
It's important to remember that spending time as a stay-at-home mom doesn't mean the end of your career for good. In fact, 70 percent of stay-at-home moms eventually return to work, and nearly half of those that do return full time.
These affluent stay-at-home mothers, who have a median family income of nearly $132,000, are somewhat older than married stay-at-home mothers with working husbands overall, according to 2011-2012 data. Half are ages 35-44, while just 19% are younger than 35.
A study conducted by Welch's found working moms clock an average of 98 hours each week. That's about the same as working 2.5 full-time jobs.
Be Honest About Your Time as a Stay-at-Home Parent
While you might be fretting about your employment gap, many employers will be understanding. Use your cover letter to briefly explain your recent gap, emphasizing that you've kept your skills up to date and are energized to return to the workforce.
According to a survey from Salary.com, stay-at-home moms should earn upwards of $162,581 per year. All those early mornings and late nights mean mom could be pulling in a pretty nice salary — you know, if she was actually getting paid.
It's often a matter of your personal circumstances and choice, whether you're looking for an excuse not to return to work or you really need that paycheck again. But experts recommend waiting until your baby is, at a minimum, 8 weeks old.
Children who have a parent who stays at home may achieve better academic performance. One study found that 10th-grade children who had a parent stay at home when they were young achieved better grades in school than those who had working parents working away from home during early childhood.
Do stay-at-home moms count as unemployed?
Originally Answered: Are stay at home Moms/Dads considered unemployeed by the US Government? No. They are counted as adults not participating in the labor force. It's a distinction made separate from being truly unemployed because these individuals are not seeking employment.
Expect to work an average of 97 hours per week for 52 weeks per year.

Mississippi tops the list of places with the most stay-at-home parents in 2021, with 6.5% of households having one parent staying at home with their children. Delaware is second at 5.6% and Texas is third at 3.5%.
The reviews are mixed here as well. Some men absolutely love and respect their partners for staying home with their children, something they don't think they could ever do. Other men seem to think it is the 'easy way out. ' It is important to explore both sides of the fence.
For example, mothers employed part time reported better overall health and fewer symptoms of depression than stay-at-home moms, while there were no reported differences in general health or depressive symptoms between moms employed part time and those who worked full time, the study said.
The differences are so great that one tends not to think of a housewife as belonging to an occupation in the usual sense. It is commonly said that a housewife “doesn't work” and that she “is unpaid.” The truth is, of course, that a housewife does work and does get recompense.
About 1 in 5 U.S. moms and dads are stay-at-home parents | Pew Research Center.
Just list it like any other job. Put your previous positions with the dates you held them. And for your gap, you'd have dates there too, and a one-line explanation (“I took a hiatus from work in order to care for an elderly family member in need”).
Stay at home Moms feel guilty because they think they're not doing enough… Working Moms feel guilty because they think they're not doing enough… So, no matter what we choose to do, it seems that we are bound to feel guilty every now and then, whether it's stay at home Mom guilt or working Mom guilt.
Certainly, plenty of groups have tried over the years. For example, Insure.com figures the wage a mom should earn for the 18 or so jobs she must tackle throughout the day is $126,725 in 2022, which is 9.2% higher than last year's findings of $116,022.
Is being a stay-at-home parent a full-time job?
Whether you identify as a stay-at-home mom, a working mom, or something in between, raising children is a full-time job. And while most of us probably agree that moms should make money for all the work they do at home, many moms still need additional jobs to pay the bills.
The usual answer to this question is that it's never too late. That may be so, but you can only decide that after thoroughly analyzing your circumstances. A 2021 poll by the US Chamber found that 41% of people are looking to switch industries for their next job, with 32% currently unemployed.
A survey looked at 2,000 employed moms of school-aged children return to the workforce and found that six in 10 moms went back to work less than four months after their child was born, with 26% reporting they returned to work less than two months.
Fortunately, research suggests that children don't experience any harm when their moms work outside the home. The decision to stay at home or return to work is very personal, and there is no one “right” decision for everyone. Keep in mind that a happy mommy will mean a happier baby!
Working moms are good role models: A study led by Harvard Business School's Prof McGinn titled 'Learning from Mum: Cross-National Evidence Linking Maternal Employment and Adult Children's Outcomes' (2018) validates the theory that working moms are good role models for their daughters.
Being a stay-at-home mom comes with many rewards, but the job—yes, being a stay-at-home mom is definitely a job—can be challenging, lonely and isolating, and some women even feel a loss of identity. Sometimes, being a stay-at-home mom is even associated with depression.
The sum of the employed and unemployed workers represent the total labor force. Note that the labor force does not include the jobless who are not seeking work, such as full-time students, homemakers, and retirees. They are considered to be outside the labor force.
TOTAL SAVINGS: $16,639 per year!
But all those little savings really add up! Being a stay at home mom can actually put money back in your pocket. Consider it an investment in the financial and emotional future of your family!
About 1 in 5 U.S. moms and dads are stay-at-home parents | Pew Research Center.
Parenting Statistics: 7% of dads and 28% of moms stay at home full-time. 57% of dads and 58% of moms say that parenting is extremely important to their identity. 54% of dads and 52% of moms report that parenting is rewarding all of the time.
How much would a stay-at-home mom make in 2022?
As a former stay-at-home mom, I say her salary should be an impressive one. However, it looks like researchers have actually put a price tag on all those hours mom puts in every single day. According to a survey from Salary.com, stay-at-home moms should earn upwards of $162,581 per year.
But the hardest part — the part Bridgette Anne says no one talks about — is the sense of isolation some stay-at-home parents feel. “You forget what it means or feels like to be an individual because your entire existence revolves around that child,” she writes.
Mississippi tops the list of places with the most stay-at-home parents in 2021, with 6.5% of households having one parent staying at home with their children. Delaware is second at 5.6% and Texas is third at 3.5%.
Children who have a parent who stays at home may achieve better academic performance. One study found that 10th-grade children who had a parent stay at home when they were young achieved better grades in school than those who had working parents working away from home during early childhood.
According to a recent Harvard Research Study that provides data from two cross-national social surveys of more than 100,000 men and women from 29 countries, working moms can breathe a sigh of relief – evidence suggests that children of working moms grow up to be just as happy as children of stay-at-home moms.
For example, mothers employed part time reported better overall health and fewer symptoms of depression than stay-at-home moms, while there were no reported differences in general health or depressive symptoms between moms employed part time and those who worked full time, the study said.
A survey report conducted by Owl labs suggests remote workers are happier and stay in their jobs longer. They also found that workers who were working at home reported being happy 22% more than workers who always work in an onsite office environment.
Overall, the research suggests maternal employment has little impact on kid's behavior and academic achievement over the short term and may have long-term benefits. Most American moms work outside the home.
Many women take pride in being a stay-at-home mom, as they should. A recent study shows that they work the equivalent of 2.5 full-time jobs caring for their child. A survey sponsored by Welch's noted that mothers work an average of 14 hours a day, or a 98-hour workweek.
Homemakers make $26,588 per year on average, or $12.78 per hour, in the United States. Homemakers on the lower end of that spectrum, the bottom 10% to be exact, make roughly $20,000 a year, while the top 10% makes $34,000.