Carol Hubbard – mother of 4 says, “When I was pregnant with my oldest I quit work and I was a stay-at-home mom for 14 years.”

Carol had a master’s degree and a successful career but she put it on hold for her family… a decision she’s never regretted.

Carol says, “Nothing I have ever done, to me has been as fulfilling as that time period.”

Dirty diapers, runny noses, endless laundry and skinned knees – how in the world did Carol find that more fulfilling than a career?

Carol says, “Actually when you’re a mom you pretty much get to run the show which is nice, you can decide when things are going to get done… there’s a lot of flexibility there and a lot of freedom… and the shock for me with re-entering the workforce was the fact that my time was not my own.”

Dr. Juli Slattery – psychologist, Focus on the Family says, “Your traditional job, unless you’re on some kind of fast track, you’re going to be doing the same exact job for year after year after year after year. With motherhood, the job is constantly changing and its so dynamic. A baby is so much different than parenting a preschooler, and that’s so much different than parenting an adolescent. And not only that, but you get that reward of just watching these kids develop and grow and your relationship with them grow as they become more mature.”

That’s not to say there aren’t some boring or stressful days at home, especially with very young children. That’s where the benefit of other relationships comes in.

Carol says, “I would swap babysitting once a week with one of my neighbors, so I had two hours to read, to take a nap, to go window shopping, and I think that’s really important to prevent mother burnout so to speak.”

Stay at home moms don’t get a paycheck at the end of the week. But they do get rewards.

Carol says, “Whether they become a mechanic or whether they become president of the United States… you’re getting a chance to invest in a very intense way in people that no one else ever will.”