So, take a look at how some women approached the decision and their motivations behind it. Read on:

1. “I couldn’t see the point of having children if I was going to end up hardly seeing them, and paying a stranger to raise them for me.”

– Aloof_bidoof

2. “To me, the reason for having a career is so that you can provide for yourself and the people you love. If you have to sacrifice time with your loved ones to pursue your career, it’s kind of pointless.”

– ArimaKaori 

3. “I was dreaming of having kids but then I thought, it wasn’t fair to let them grow up in someone’s hands while I’m working. I wasn’t going to get to enjoy them enough or watch them grow up properly, I realized I was going to be happier taking care of them at home. Not every day is a dream come true, but we’re all happy and it’s so fulfilling to spend time with them and be there for every little thing. Although it’s important to have a little something for us, we are individuals and it’s important to have our own hobbies and time for ourselves. Don’t forget to not forget about yourself.”

– PerceptionWeary273

4. “I was a homemaker for about 6 years. I loved it. We saved a lot of money because I cooked and baked from scratch, did all of the work around the house. I did so much fun stuff with my kids. I have a lot of guilt because I work full time now and my youngest doesn’t get those special memory-building times. Being a homemaker was ten times harder than being a working Mom but a thousand times more rewarding.”

– 143019

5. “Homemaking is real work. It has value, both economic and emotional. I grew up in a single parent household, and my mother worked full-time. So, I didn’t really understand this until my own kids were born and I made homemaking my full time job. It made life better for everyone, including me.”

– Opening_Ad_1497

6. “My husband makes way more than me, it didn’t make sense for me to work the same amount of hours and be super stressed while barely contributing. I’m now free to pursue my own interests and focus on my mental health.”

– MissFatCat3

7. “It wasn’t a choice as much as a necessity. It cost more for me to go to work than to stay home, so I took care of the kids and worked one-offs as I could get them.”

– BlameTheLada

8. “I have a degree in early childhood education, so this SAHM (stay at home mom) thing is my JAM. I also see it as an act of resistance. I live in America and it is very focused on consuming and achieving. I like the idea of resisting that- focusing my energy on raising the next generation and not making money.”

– Aggravating_Ad3534

9. “I grew up with a single mom who worked nights and lived in a constant state of exhaustion & I was being watched by other family members and sitters while she worked. A lot of bad things happened to me during childhood because of that. My dream has always been to just provide comfort and a happy home to a family that I love and pour all of my effort and time into being there for them.”

– Tiny_Wrangler_409

10. “I’m not career-oriented and I don’t like the concept of seeing my family only in the morning and evening. I love housework and actually raising my children.”

– Yeswhyhello

11. “I love being with our kids. My husband does too but he is very passionate about his career and giving us a comfortable life, as well as being a loving and generous provider. I don’t have career passions right now, I’m in my ‘soft girl’ era. There are plenty of other eras to come for me, but right now it’s being a SAHM/homemaker.”

– V4Valorous

12. “Daycare is expensive as f@*#. My paycheck would just go towards paying for childcare and lead to a poor quality of life for our family. I recognize I am in a position of privilege to be able to choose not to work.”

– lfoli72

13. “It’s not about just wanting to stay home, it’s the love I have for being home. After having kids, I realized how much I love to be around them and guide them. I’m trying to find words that won’t make it sound like I’m speaking down on women who work and love their careers, but that love they have about having a purpose is how I feel towards raising my child. I love providing for him, being his influence, making sure he’s raised “right”, learning little things about him, etc.”

– MammothNegative

14. “Honestly, being a mom to my kids is top-most priority for me. I want to be there for my kids whenever they need me, help them and guide them through childhood and life. This can only happen when I am present with them and not off working on a job. Also, I am very protective of my kids and being sexually abused as a child myself, I didn’t want to hand them over to someone else to look after while I was away working.”

– to-pun-or-not

15. “I love my family more than anything else in the world, and I want my labor to benefit them directly. My home is also my sanctuary, and I enjoy spending my time improving and maintaining it. Thirdly I have PTSD, and I do not feel safe around Homo sapiens, so I prefer to be home.”

– Infamous_Pen6860

If the decision is suitable to your life and mental health, then nothing else matters.