Mom photographers

[Miaow]

True not all daycare places have things like that happen - there's been a few cases here of kids being found outside places on busy roads or locked in centres after the staff had shut up for the day - but true its' in a minority (well we hope so anyway).

Here we do get assistance to stay at home (depending on partners (if have one) income) but its not a lot (if single) so things are pretty tight when you take into account rent etc... Yes if you want better than 'scraping by' then you do need to work.

Child care costs though do take a bit out (some places are quite expensive) so really for a wife to be back at work and have a child in childcare - the wife's income would have to be pretty reasonable to cover those costs (though they are partially re-couperable at tax time)

Unfortunately it is a dammed if you do, dammed if you dont, attitude on nearly all parenting desicison not just the SAHM angle :/

 

[mrodgers]

What do you gather a single mother should do? Your damned if you do, damned if you don't.

Tis why I said "I know that sometimes daycare can't be helped" meaning the single parents who can't stay home.

Yeah, sure, whatever. Both of my kids attended daycare while my wife and I both worked. I can assure you that it was not to buy 4 wheelers, SUV's, and boats. It was so that we could give them the best life possible. Both of my kids did fine in school and are now productive adults in our society.

The best life possible? And what does that mean? Why does that necessitate them spending most of their time in daycare? What is the best life possible? Showing your love towards them by being able to go to Disneyworld? Or showing your love to them with actual love and caring for them, being there when they walk or talk for the first time? Maybe them knowing that you are there within arms reach when they are hurt or are sad... Oh, of course, giving them the best life possible would be sending them off somewhere else all day long while you both work so you can purchase those material things that mean nothing for them....

As I stated, my wife stays home. I make the same money at work as everyone else. I provide a home for my children as everyone else at work does. I have 2 cars, one on loan, as everyone else at work. I have a pool in the back yard for the kids to beat the summer heat. My kids and I have bicycles that we actively go out and ride. Yet, I can count on one hand how many at work whom one parent stays home to raise their children. But I understand, those at work who claim they couldn't survive on just the husband's income while the mother stays home wouldn't be buying all the RC trucks to go racing on the weekend, or the quads and motorcycles to go riding on the weekends, or all the guns and bows to go hunting, and all the playstations and xboxes so their children can sit zombielike in front of the TV from the time their parents pick them up until they go to bed..... Indeed, 2 incomes must be necessary. I'm just someone special whom is the only one capable of providing my children with the best life possible at my sad and sorry income.

 

[Rick Waldroup]

Are you for real?

You assume a lot of things about the way my kids were raised. All of your assumptions are wrong.

 

[Emerana]

my goodness, this post was suppose to be supportive of other moms who were trying to juggle their art and motherhood. Why does everything have to turn into a big debate here?

I think its ok to say "good for you" to people who are sahms. We deserve it and dont get alot of pats on the back. But we do it because it feels like the right thing for our kids. But I understand why some people took it as offensive, but I dont think he meant it to be so.

 

[Rick Waldroup]

Emerana, your idea about a P&S is a great one, especially with the quality of the P&S cameras being made today. They are miles ahead of where they were just a few years ago. I have seriously been looking at a Canon G9 for this very purpose. It does get a little tiring lugging around a big camera with lenses and so on. I can just imagine trying to do that and having to take care of children at the same time.

 

[kellylindseyphotography]

And what woudl one do if there was only one parent/one income? What would you suggest then? Truly curious.

(Btw, I *am* a single, stay at home mother. I work on the weekends while my son is with his father, because I *DO* believe the best care for him is with me. I barely make it financially, but I Do. HOwever, when I go to school, daycare is THE only option I have. One day he is with a friend, the other day in daycare. It is ultimately important that I finish school so that I can provide more than this small 2 bedroom with no money to even eat with.

 

[Emerana]

Wow the G9 looks great...I might have to wait until the price drops a bit though

 

[Rick Waldroup]

Wow the G9 looks great...I might have to wait until the price drops a bit though

Yep, wait until maybe next year and you might be able to pick one up on ebay for a decent price. I played with one of these at a camera store a couple of months back. It is solidly built- not cheap plastic like so many others. The lens is sharp. The only downside that I saw was a slight shutter lag- but it is still better than most other P&S's. I have an old Nikon Coolpix 5000 that is a nice little camera but the shutter lag is just horrendous.

 

[~Stella~]

As a SAHM/WAHM I find Mrogers post highly offensive - to suggest that working moms are sending their children off to baby death camps for the sake of a few extra bucks blows me away. Not all working moms wish to work - many would prefer to stay home, but it's just not financially feasible. But some actually enjoy the intellectual stimulation and adult contact and I wouldn't begrudge them that for one moment.

Every mother is doing the best for their child in the best way they know how. I appreciate the pat on the back because I think I am doing what is right for my children and I am fortunate enough to be able to do that, but that doesn't mean it's right for all families and no one should be made to feel like a lesser parent for leaving the home and supporting their family.

And this thread didn't specify only SAHMs could post - it referred to all moms, so the post was even more inappropriate. I realize it wasn't meant to be offensive, but sometimes you need to think before posting something as unthinking and inflammatory as that.
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Emerana, what side of the city are you on? Maybe we could meet up and do a little session sometime? One can shoot and the other corral the kidlets!

 

[Sarah23]

I am a SAHM and I am in the same boat...NO way really go get out and shoot. I have a 2.5 year old and a 9month old. I do sometimes go driving around looking for things ( I live in the kinda-sorta-country, so there is a lot to check out!) but they will only take so much of that, and so will my gas budget!

My son HATES the camera now and doesn't want anything to do with it. My daughter isnt old enough to care and is a little ham in front of the camera. I love being able to document so much of their lives like I do.

 

[Emerana]

I am glad to know my toddler isnt the only one who hates the camera.

 

[hippyatheart]

I am a SAHM as well. I have 3 kids 5, 3, and 9months. I also homeschool. My problem these days id finding the time to shoot as well as thinking of composition or technical stuff. It feels like I have shooters block (like writers block) because I just don't have the time or energy to figure out how to do it right! I do have a dream though of being a photographer. As it si now, I have no idea if I will get there. I really want to do it all right now, but instead I am cleaning the kitchen for the thousanth time, doing laundry yet again, chasing a climbing baby and homeschooling.

 

[MACollum]

It is hard. There are only a few places here to go and the kids don't want to wait for me to take my pictures. We have yet to try many of the museums around (that can get expensive if doing it all the time). Sometimes we go downtown but there are only a few areas there that would be considered safe for a tiny woman to be with kids or camera gear.

One of these days I'll get my conceal-carry permit and I will be able to go anywhere I please...

My youngest starts first grade in the fall (all day now...YAY!) Unfortunately, I'll be in class 3 days a week as well. I have two weekdays where I won't be in class and one of the first things I'm going to do when school starts is go to the zoo ALONE!

 

[Miaow]

I think a perfect example of being a photographer and a mom is this afternoon.

Some sulpher crested cockatoos came down in the front yard so I grabbed the camera. About 2 mins after taking a couple of pics hear a crash in the house - run in and daughter has luckily just pulled down a toy off a shelf - nothing major so i go back out to try another couple of pics. Hear a scream - come back in luckily just a toy stuck in something.

Finish taking pics cause it starts to rain and decide to get them off the camera and do a quick PP - daughter decides she wants toast and vegemite - while downloading the pics, resizing and pp'ing make 3 slices of toast.

 

[Senor Hound]

I think a perfect example of being a photographer and a mom is this afternoon.

Some sulpher crested cockatoos came down in the front yard so I grabbed the camera. About 2 mins after taking a couple of pics hear a crash in the house - run in and daughter has luckily just pulled down a toy off a shelf - nothing major so i go back out to try another couple of pics. Hear a scream - come back in luckily just a toy stuck in something.

Finish taking pics cause it starts to rain and decide to get them off the camera and do a quick PP - daughter decides she wants toast and vegemite - while downloading the pics, resizing and pp'ing make 3 slices of toast.

Vegemite... you gave away the fact you're an Aussie! In America we put peanut butter and jelly on toast. I don't know if that's the same.

I put down little kids a lot because I say they're little unappreciative brats 90% of the time, and enjoyable 10% of the time. But that's not true. I've never had problems with my nephews when I hang out with them (at most, I have to tell them to play nicely). But the point of my post is this: I am almost envious of what you just described. To have the patience and awareness it takes to balance all of this is truly amazing. If I had kids, I'd end up quitting photography cause I couldn't keep up, but you do it all! That's very cool.