Working Moms vs. Stay-At-Home Moms

Days like today make me want to let loose on a lounge chair with a magazine and some sunscreen. It's that awesome out. But I've got an infant that needs my constant attention, so I "settled" for a picnic on the bluff instead. And since I can't go downtown without getting the obligatory mix of dark chocolate almonds and peanuts from my fav chocolate shop, that happened as well.

I am very blessed to be able to do this kind of thing with Hannah. There are days that  I miss working full-time, but my part-time gig at the gym is far more satisfying, and I truly like having the time to keep things in order at home.

Anyway. Before I forget to tell you: Two things recently happened in my life, and I am totally excited about both of them:

1) I signed up for a Spinning certification course. I love taking spin classes, and am super stoked about being able to teach them...and about adding another element of fitness to my repertoire of classes taught. Meaning, I already teach classes based on strength and stretching. So once I start teaching spin, I'll have a cardio class, too. Woot!

2) There were 15 people in my 6:00AM class this morning. 15 PEOPLE! New record. Fist pump.

Needless to say, I'm off to a great start this week. It's sort of an odd week for me. I'm on a partial vacation from the gym while the nursery is being renovated, which means I have to stay home with Hannah because I don't have any other childcare options right now. (Although grammy will be watching her one day, hence the "partial vacation".) It's not super convenient for me or for the members, but it'll be worth it when the kiddos get to spend some time in a nice, new play area.

In relatable news, someone published a study that suggests "working moms are healthier than stay-at-home moms." Here's a blurb from a post on the BabyCenter blog:

“Work is good for your health, both mentally and physically,” Frech says. “It gives women a sense of purpose, self-efficacy, control and autonomy. They have a place where they are an expert on something, and they’re paid a wage.” 

And if we look at moms with only part-time employment, we find women coping with the stresses of lower-paying jobs that offer little job security and few benefits. 

“Struggling to hold onto a job or being in constant job search mode wears on their health, especially mentally, but also physically,” says Frech. She also notes that stay-at-home mothers may find themselves socially isolated and lacking financial independence.

I work part-time, it's true, but I wear my stay-at-home mom hat the most. I don't feel socially isolated, and I think the activities I do throughout my week promote good health, both mentally and physically. And I'm not just referencing my work at the gym, paid or personal. Honestly, I think the study is weird. I can see how some SAHMs might feel socially isolated, but I cannot see how working promotes greater health. There are plenty of healthy SAHMs in this world. PUH-LENTY. I see them every day at the gym.

Let's discuss.