Many mothers and single moms are choosing to cut back on their workweek, or leave their jobs entirely, to stay home with their young children. This decision is often met with a firestorm of controversy. There are those who believe that a mother who sets aside her paying job is setting the wrong example for her children; on the other hand, there are those who believe that the mother who walks away from her paying position is doing the best thing for her children.

There is no clear answer to the debate, and it comes down to a very personal and individual decision for that particular mother and her family. But let's take a step back and look at what the stay at home moms would be making if they were paid for what they really do every single day.

According to the popular Salary.com, a stay at home mom is not appreciated for what she really does. In fact, she's not "just" a mom. She's also a day care provider, short order cook, chauffeur, teacher, facilities manager, janitor, accounting clerk, Licensed Practical Nurse, laundry attendant and probably does most of the financial planning among other things. Of course, that's not all - she also holds the job of Chief Executive Officer. If you were to pay the stay at home moms what they are really worth in terms of work output and job experience, they would be earning an annual salary of over one million dollars.

Yes, you read that right: One million dollars. And that's just base pay!

Unlike the professional positions just listed, however, stay at home moms don't get all the perks. They don't get sick days, nor do they accumulate vacation time. They certainly don't get a 401K or profit sharing account, and they don't get the regular, everyday interaction with others that they would get in a typical 9-to-5 job.

However, stay at home moms get the added bonus of never having to worry about who is taking care of their children, how they will juggle that medical visit with the important business appointment, or whether they will be able to beat the traffic to get home in time for the school bus arrival. If a stay at home mom does become a work at home mom, she still has the comfort of knowing that while she is in an office, her little one is just the next room over - or curled up right at her feet with a coloring book.

Stay at Home Moms are very important, productive members of society who have arguably the most important job on the planet. Just because they don't get paid for it doesn't mean it's not worthwhile!

Tags: stay at home moms, stay at home moms income, stay at home moms work, Work At Home Moms

posted by Chris Simpson