A grand slam against stay-at-home parenting?
What a great mom story — Kim Clijsters nabbed the U.S. Open, the first mom to win the grand slam title in 29 years.
Another tennis mom has been making her comeback, too — Sybille Bammer, a 29-year-old Austrian who lives with her boyfriend, Christophe Gschwendtner, father of their 8-year-old daughter, Tina.
Bammer, who lost her record-breaking run at the U.S. Open in the quarterfinals, credits her partner for supporting her. And, boy, did he; It was Gschwendtner’s idea that Bammer, then 21, get back to playing tennis after giving birth, and to make it easier for her, he gave up his career as a manufacturing engineer for five years to be Mr. Mom.
Now that Bammer’s back on the tennis and sponsorship track again and Tina’s in school full time, Gschwendtner has returned to work — he started his own electrician’s business — and the jokes from his friends about his decision to stay home have stopped. “Now my life is more interesting. It’s like I have two lives,” he told the New York Times.
His life is more interesting? Is Gschwendtner saying that staying at home and caring for a child is uninteresting, or that the parent staying at home becomes uninteresting? Or both?
If you're a stay-at-home mom, are you bored?
Do you feel that you're boring?
Another tennis mom has been making her comeback, too — Sybille Bammer, a 29-year-old Austrian who lives with her boyfriend, Christophe Gschwendtner, father of their 8-year-old daughter, Tina.
Bammer, who lost her record-breaking run at the U.S. Open in the quarterfinals, credits her partner for supporting her. And, boy, did he; It was Gschwendtner’s idea that Bammer, then 21, get back to playing tennis after giving birth, and to make it easier for her, he gave up his career as a manufacturing engineer for five years to be Mr. Mom.
Now that Bammer’s back on the tennis and sponsorship track again and Tina’s in school full time, Gschwendtner has returned to work — he started his own electrician’s business — and the jokes from his friends about his decision to stay home have stopped. “Now my life is more interesting. It’s like I have two lives,” he told the New York Times.
His life is more interesting? Is Gschwendtner saying that staying at home and caring for a child is uninteresting, or that the parent staying at home becomes uninteresting? Or both?
If you're a stay-at-home mom, are you bored?
Do you feel that you're boring?
Tags: boredom, boring, children, mothers, parenting, sahd, sahm, tennis
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Michelle Nguyen on -
When I began staying at home, I thought it would be boring. But like a lot of other SAHPs, I am seriously wondering where all my time went! I have less time to myself than I did when I was working outside of the home. I really think that a person's mindset when they're a SAHP is the key to whether or not they are bored at home.
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Permalink Reply by Angel Villavelazquez on -
Bored? There isn't any time to be bored. I am in constant motion from the time I wake up until I go to sleep at night. Once my 4 year old if off to pre-k, I have one on one time with my daughter. Inbetween nap time and picking my son up from school, I am running a successful home based business that allows me to speak to other wonderful mothers throughout the day. There is always something that needs to be done...and that is just the way I like it!
www.MomMakingaDifference.com
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Permalink Reply by Lynne Kenney on -
What a thought-provoking topic. I agree with some of the other moms, the meaning of Stay-At-Home has changed since my mom was a SAHM. Some women still cook, clean and stay home going no where but the grocery store like days past. But more often SAHMS run the family corporation on PTO, helping with community donations, church, synagogue, cleaning, cooking and getting to the gym. All my close friends who are SAHM's are rarely at home, they wear as many hats as I do. I think we need a new term that implies I am the dedicated FT care provider for my family, the family manager, the afternoon tutor, the sports coach, the boo-boo healer - The CFO (Chief Family Officer) of our family and a rockin' cool mom. Something like - "I'm the CFO of the Kenney Family, come visit my office headquarters anytime."
GO! CFOMOMS
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Permalink Reply by Robin on -
I am definitely not bored. I am on my feet all day cleaning, running errands, cooking, baking, meal planning, paying bills, picking kids up from school, and so on. I do however at times feel that I am boring because I stay at home. I used to be a law clerk and worked at a prestigious law firm. I was gone from 5:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and commuted roughly 3 to 4 hours a day. Since I left my job in 2004, I have had a big adjustment in terms of maintaining my self-esteem and learning how to become more domesticated. I miss what I used to do and I miss dressing up in nice clothes. Over the years though, I just have to keep reminding myself that I am doing the most important job that I can do - looking after my family. I know that one day I will return to the workforce when the time is right.
Mom To The Power Of Three
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Permalink Reply by oshun55 on -
Laura, you are so right. I am so grateful I was able to see all the firsts of my son's life. I even taped him for at least 30 seconds everyday of his first year, and now have a great home movie (when I find the time to actually edit it, lol). But now that he's 5 I am looking to get back into the world for my own personal growth and sanity.
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Permalink Reply by Annette Yen on -
Nope, no boredom here!
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Permalink Reply by Danielle Garcia on -
Like anything else in life, it is what you make of it. I have been home for almost 9 years now and I do not get bored. You have to remember to take care of you as well and to maintain your identity as a woman and as an adult. Connect with other moms on a regular basis, be it through play groups, at the library, or even on the phone or the internet. Find hobbies you enjoy that you can either involve the little ones in or that you can work on while they nap. Cleaning and child care are important, but if you do not take care of yourself as well, you will quickly burn out.
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Permalink Reply by Angela at The Suburban Jungle on
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I think SAHMs have to make a lot of their own entertainment. I think that's why you see so many of us blogging. :)
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Permalink Reply by Nicole Laws on -
Boring....Absolutely not. I seem to not have enough time in a day to do everything I want and/or need to accomplish. I have been working from home with some projects which take up my time in between taking care of the kids and house. I am never sitting around wondering what to do, NEVER. I think it's what you make of it. I have a friend that seems to not enjoy starying home as much and is bored a lot too. I don't think she understands because she makes statements like " your either too busy or your kids are sick." She just had her second child so maybe that will change. Bless all of you who are bored. I will say staying how can be hard on you if you dot get out and get your kids out. It can get a bit overwhelming at times. I have to make myself stop and make sure we do some type of activity together.
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Permalink Reply by Rashida on -
I wish there were time for boredom! I have a 2 year old, and a 6 month old, and am going to school full time online, so there is never a dull moment in my house. The thing I have trouble with is making sure im staying on task with school and getting everything done. Even before I started school this fall though, there was ALWAYS something to do.
I, like another mom on here, do not have a car, and use public transportation in my city, so any and every time we want to do anything, it becomes sort of an adventure. There are many things that can be done with your time if you can think of ways to keep yourself occupied. You only get bored if you allow yourself to.
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Permalink Reply by Laurie Mapp on -
Hmmm, I seem to be in the minority here, but I do find full-time SAHM life boring. Busy? Of course. But especially mentally, I do get bored. And even with a growing home business I feel like I'm boring to other people. I *can* talk about all kinds of things - I read a lot, I'm up on politics a bit, have wide-ranging views on all kinds of topics, I blog, I'm active in social media - but still - the main focus of my life for now is raising my children and as important as it is it does not always make for the most interesting conversation topic.
I totally get the comment about life being more interesting "like I have two lives" by Gshwendtner - having a focus completely outside of the home is different that everything revolving around being a mom and wife. Doesn't make it better, doesn't mean I'm looking for a job, but it is different!
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Permalink Reply by PraiseWalker on
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I got the sense he was saying that now that he's done both, his life is more interesting. I find being a stay-at-home mom is really interesting because I can structure it the way I want. Currently my two teenagers and I are taking university courses together in addition to them getting their highschool diploma (they're homeschooled). I've also held part time jobs that I've really enjoyed, I've researched, studied, learned, started businesses, counseled, explored, and grown in a multitude of ways.
Wouldn't change it for the world!
Darlene
www.PraiseWalker.com
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