Does anyone stay home with their kids anymore?

So over the weekend I ran into a few high school friends and one mother of a high school friend. Of course I knew all of these girls work but for some reason it really hit me that just about everyone I grew up with is a working Mom.

Nothing against working Moms so don't even think about commenting that I'm being mean.

Anyway.....

The Mom of a friend said how she keeps talking to her daughter about staying home. How they would save so much money, etc. But she won't do it.

One girl I saw, whom I haven't seen since our 10yr reunion back in 2004, is expecting their second in October. Putting sixteen months between their babies. Perhaps she's planning on staying home after the newest one gets here. However, they do own a rather large daycare so.....

Another girl I saw is returning to work after her six weeks off. She commented about how even on a 4 hour date with her husband, she was really missing her little one and wanted to go home and doesn't know how on earth will she survive for 10 hours every day??? And in the same breath said that she is really looking forward to being away to do something for herself.

I am willing to bet that none of these girls *need* to work. It just makes me sad that more women don't make the choice to stay home and raise their children. I know it's nothing new and it's not like I didn't know these girls worked....but going "home" and not running into ONE person my age who is a stay-at-home-mom was very sad.

It makes me so very thankful to be able to stay home and know that I'm there for my kids.