Staying Home Instead

Confusion and upheaval have become the norm of parents' lives today, brought about by economic downturns, the yuppie milieu of the 1980s and changing views about who should be taking care of the kids. Christine Davidson, herself a former beleaguered working mother in a two-paycheck family, suggests there may be a better way to raise children, enjoy a marriage and earn a living. This book offers alternatives to the dilemma of modern American mothers - to work or not to work - and the invitable guilt that accompanies either choice. Davidson urges women to attend to their emotions and discard the "shoulds". She reasserts the value, excitement and sheer joy of caring for children, and supports those who wish to do this full-time with encouragement and practical advice. At the same time, Davidson acknowledges the modern mother's need to earn a living and use her education, as well as participate more fully in her children's upbringing. She discusses opportunities in part-time work, at-home businesses, entrepreneurial ventures and combinations of at-home parenting and outside work.
Davidson provides practical information on how, as an at-home parent, to economize, develop new interests and skills at home, and avoid becoming a household drudge. She also offers guidance on how to re-enter the workforce when it becomes economically necessary or emotionally desirable to do so. This book speaks to fathers as well, including references to full-time parenting by men, and an appendix that profiles fathers caring for their children at home while running small businesses. Christine Davidson has also written "Best Places to Stay in Florida".