Because I value your opinion....

You may remember that in May I posted a survey asking a series of questions about being a stay at home wife and mom for an article I was writing. I was working on an article to help women (and their families) who wished to leave the workplace and return home. I discovered that even though I got some great replies, I needed more answers and more input. I also discovered that I could not cover it all in an article. So now my husband and I are working on a book. We hope to find a publisher, but if not we will publish it as an e-book. We are basically trying to write the book that we wish we had when I quit work and stayed home full time.

But we really need your help!

In the next week I will be posting two or three questions each day in addition to the freezer series and other assorted stuff I like to blog about.

The questions are geared towards women who are at home full time, or would like to be. We are finding that there are a growing number of families making this decision regardless of religious beliefs.

And to encourage you to participate, and to thank you, we are going to host our first ever contest!

There will be three prizes, an e-book and two books that I use all the time and are very helpful to me:

Crystal at Biblical Womanhood has generously donated a copy of her e-book: Secrets to Supermarket Savings. She has been very helpful in teaching me how to save on our grocery budget while still eating healthy, good meals through both this e-book and her blog! (She is also hosting a class in August on this exact topic - I am already signed up!) There is a big sale at her site this week - I talked about it here with a coupon code to get an extra 10%off)

These are two of my favorite books of freezer recipes and will ship directly from either Amazon.com or .ca.

There are two ways to be entered in the drawing for these three great books (I will be posting reviews of them this week!)

1. You will be entered in the contest each time you post an answer to my questions in the comments section, however, each comment must answer the question and contain an email address so that we may be able to contact you!

2. You will also be entered into our contest if you blog about our contest and survey, and link back to us. Please include a link back to this post in your post as I will be adding the link to each question on the bottom of this introductory post. (Please send me an email to Mrs.Pear(at)cox.net with the link to your post to be entered in the contest!)

The fine print.....

All the questions will be posted this week, two or three questions each day, starting today.

Contest closes Wednesday, August 15 at 7:00 PM Pacific time. (Of course, if we don't close comments, keep commenting, but I am just saying that we have a plan!) The winners will be announced next Thursday, August 16.

The contest is open to shipping addresses in the US and Canada.

Also, I reserve the right to quote any comment in our book as this is research, so PLEASE DO NOT share anything you would not be comfortable with us using. We will only use first names or made up first names if we quote you.

We will be hiding the comments once the contest is over so your email addresses will not be left available.


The Questions:

Question 1 and Introduction

Question 2 - What is it you do?

Question 3 - Biggest Fears

Question 4 - Biggest Issue

Question 5 - Why didn't you tell me????

Question 6 - Thank you for telling me....

Question 7 - A Word of Advice

Question 8 - All about the budget

Question 9 - Frugal Sources

Question 10 - Home Management

Bonus Question: Schedules

Question 11 - Your Story

Question 11 - Your Story

Our contest is closed, and so are the comments. If you would still like to answer the questions we would love to have your answers emailed to mrs.pear (at) cox.net. Thank you.

As our last question in this series, I would like to know about you!

What is your story? Have you always worked at home? Did you work outside the home until you got married? Had children? When did you come home from the work world? If you have not, what is the big thing stopping you if that is what you would really like to do? Basically we are elaborating on the first questions! So many of you touched on wonderful stories and experiences, and we would love to hear them! Even include glimpses into your families thought process during the transition! If you have always been home, what made you decide that, what tools did your parents give you to facilitate that?

We would like to understand you better, and we certainly understand about obstacles to coming home! In fact we are writing for just that reason! :-)

This is the last official post in the contest series until we announce the winners. We are leaving the contest open until Wednesday evening. Our plan is to draw the winners Wednesday evening and then email and post on Thursday afternoon! (When Miss Pear naps!)

Bonus Question: Schedules

Our contest is closed, and so are the comments. If you would still like to answer the questions we would love to have your answers emailed to mrs.pear (at) cox.net. Thank you.

In many of the answers a common theme of schedules has come up! So for our Bonus question:

Please share a rough outline of your daily and weekly schedules!

For example Monday is Downstairs Cleaning Day, Tuesday is Upstairs, Wednesday is Kitchen day......

And Daily - well, I am working on this one, so please share your ideas with me!

This seems to be such a critical area that I would like to be able to mock up some good examples for my readers, and really need your help!

Question 10 - Home Management

Our contest is closed, and so are the comments. If you would still like to answer the questions we would love to have your answers emailed to mrs.pear (at) cox.net. Thank you.

Dear Ladies, thank you so much for your candor and your thoughtfulness in answering my questions! We are nearing the end of the survey, there are only two more questions after this one! While this question has been touched on in the answers to other questions, it is important enough that it deserves to be asked in its own right!

What are your best tips on home management, and what source do you rely on for sharpening your skills or learning more?

Question 9 - Frugal Sources

Our contest is closed, and so are the comments. If you would still like to answer the questions we would love to have your answers emailed to mrs.pear (at) cox.net. Thank you.

One thing I could not find is good resources on saving money! I figured that this should not be rocket science, but it certainly felt like it! So:

What sources do you consider the definitive guide on frugal living that are both practical and realistic?

Thank you so much for all your wonderful responses! They are helping tremendously!

As with your best frugal tips in question 8, we will compile a list of recommended sources and post them in the coming weeks!

Question 8 - All about the budget

Our contest is closed, and so are the comments. If you would still like to answer the questions we would love to have your answers emailed to mrs.pear (at) cox.net. Thank you.

It seems like a big part of me returning home has been adjusting to 1 income, and making that one income go as far as possible! I have definitely found some tips along the way!

So for today's question:

What are your top 5 tips on saving money?

I just wrote about one of my secret weapons this week, although I guess it is not much of a secret of I just blabbed!

The next questions are often about sources and tips - I will be compiling these in the weeks to come and posting them, so don't worry about having to get all the ideas and sources down before I hide comments!

Question 7 - A Word of Advice

Our contest is closed, and so are the comments. If you would still like to answer the questions we would love to have your answers emailed to mrs.pear (at) cox.net. Thank you.

Our last question for today!

What is the absolute best advice you have for a woman who is leaving a full time (likely professional) job to be home full time?

I am thrilled to hear that I am not the only "highly educated" woman who decided to take the promotion of coming home full time!

Question 6 - Thank you for telling me....

Our contest is closed, and so are the comments. If you would still like to answer the questions we would love to have your answers emailed to mrs.pear (at) cox.net. Thank you.

Ladies, thank you so much for your wonderful answers! I cannot tell you how much they are helping already! So for our next question....


Please finish this sentence:

When I decided to return home (or remain home), the best advice I received was......

Question 5 - Why didn't you tell me????

Our contest is closed, and so are the comments. If you would still like to answer the questions we would love to have your answers emailed to mrs.pear (at) cox.net. Thank you.

Thank you so much for participating in our survey and contest!

Our next question is:


Please finish this sentence:

When I decided to return home from the work world, I wish someone would have told me.....


Please remember to include your email address with your comment so that we may be able to contact you if you win, and that we may use your comment for both research purposes and also as a direct quote in our writings. (Your comment here is viewed as permission to do such.) For the introductory post and information on the contest, please click here.)

Question 4 - Biggest Issue

Our contest is closed, and so are the comments. If you would still like to answer the questions we would love to have your answers emailed to mrs.pear (at) cox.net. Thank you.

So often what we were afraid of is completely different that what turns out to be the biggest problem! So.....

What did the biggest challenge in the transition home actually turn out to be:

• A) Managing a household budget
• B) Cooking for my family
• C) Cleaning for my family
• D) Filling my days (sorry, I could not resist this one!)
  
• E) Loneliness
• F) Other (Please Specify):

And of course, we would appreciate it if you would spread the word on our contest! If you blog about it and link to us (letting us know that you did via email to mrs.pear(at)cox.net) we will enter you another time in the contest!


Please remember to include your email address with your comment so that we may be able to contact you if you win, and that we may use your comment for both research purposes and also as a direct quote in our writings. (Your comment here is viewed as permission to do such.) For the introductory post and information on the contest, please click here.)

Question 3 - Biggest Fears

Our contest is closed, and so are the comments. If you would still like to answer the questions we would love to have your answers emailed to mrs.pear (at) cox.net. Thank you.

When I returned home, our extended family was facing serious medical crisis on many fronts, it was not a noble decision on our part, but a case of doing what was required to care for our little family of Mr. Pear and I, and also our extended family. But I find that fear is a big issue in this decision!

So, my next question is:

When I returned home full time after working outside the home my biggest fears were:

• A)No longer being able to eat out as much as I would like
• B)No longer being able to buy the household items I would like
• C)Having to cook more meals
• D)Having to do my own cleaning and gardening
• E)Finances in general
• F) Other (Please Specify):

Please feel free to elaborate as any extra information you give me will help tremendously!

And of course, we would appreciate it if you would spread the word on our contest! If you blog about it and link to us (letting us know that you did via email to mrs.pear(at)cox.net) we will enter you another time in the contest!


Please remember to include your email address with your comment so that we may be able to contact you if you win, and that we may use your comment for both research purposes and also as a direct quote in our writings. (Your comment here is viewed as permission to do such.) For the introductory post and information on the contest, please click here.)

Question 2 - What is it you do?

Our contest is closed, and so are the comments. If you would still like to answer the questions we would love to have your answers emailed to mrs.pear (at) cox.net. Thank you.

We have all been asked that annoying question at exactly the wrong time. You know the one...

"And what is it that you do????"

As a woman who works very hard at home, I am sometimes at a loss for an answer! I know that I am on the go all day, but I am not always sure what I do! I know that Miss Pear was cared for, meals got made, clothing got washed, house got cared for, but did that really take all day? Usually the answer is yes, but what I accomplished feels so miniscule in the scheme of things! Yet I know that what I do has a huge impact on my family!

As a woman who works very hard in her home, how do you answer this question?

(looking for both the humorous and the serious here!)

Please remember to include your email address with your comment so that we may be able to contact you if you win, and that we may use your comment for both research purposes and also as a direct quote in our writings. (Your comment here is viewed as permission to do such.) For the introductory post and information on the contest, please click here.)

Question 1 and Introduction

Our contest is closed, and so are the comments. If you would still like to answer the questions we would love to have your answers emailed to mrs.pear (at) cox.net. Thank you.

We are writing a book for families where the wife would like to leave the workplace and return home full time for one simple reason - when our family made this switch there was very little help available, and a lot of people were far from encouraging! After all, we did not have Miss Pear yet, so what was I going to do all day???

We are not getting into the discussion of whether or not that is the right thing to do, there are lots of valid opinions out there, and lots of information. We are talking to the family who wants to make this change, and needs help and encouragement!

We are using this contest to gauge if our focus is on track, or if we have missed anything! It would be sad to spend all this time writing only to have taken a wrong turn!

So, our first question is a two part question, and is very easy!

1) Which currently describes you the best:

• A) I am a stay at home wife and/or mother, and always have been.
• B) I am a stay at home wife and/or mother who once worked outside the home while married.
• C) I am a wife and/or mother who works outside the home, but wish to be home full time.
• D) I am a grown daughter living in my father's home.
• E) Other, please specify
  

2) What title do you prefer to describe you? Homemaker? Stay at home Wife/Mom? Keeper at home? Queen (this is what my husband jokingly calls me, it is a long story as to why, but it is funny and loving). Whatever it is, please share it with me!

Please remember to include your email address with your comment so that we may be able to contact you if you win, and that we may use your comment for both research purposes and also as a direct quote in our writings. (Your comment here is viewed as permission to do such.) For the introductory post and information on the contest, please click here.)

Survey says....

this will be at the top for a week, scroll down for new posts please!

I am writing an article specifically geared to women who work full time but wish to be home with their families full time instead. My goal in the article is to validate this decision, encourage readers to work towards this goal, and provide advice and suggestions on how to accomplish this.

I would appreciate your help! I have a simple 5 question survey open to stay at home wives and moms, and women who wish to be here:

Click here to take our Online Survey

One thing that is not in the survey, and maybe it should be, but feel free to answer in the comments section: What is the one thing you would say to a woman who really wants to come home full time, but is convinced that she cannot?

If the survey is full, and you would still like to participate, please answer the questions in the comment section of this post. The questions are:

1) Which currently describes you the best:

A) I am a stay at home wife and/or mother, and always have been.

B) I am a stay at home wife and/or mother who once worked outside the home while married.

C)I am a wife and/or mother who works outside the home, but wish to be home full time

2) When I returned home full time after working outside the home my biggest fears were:

A)No longer being able to eat out as much as I would like

B)No longer being able to buy the household items I would like

C)Having to cook more meals

D)Having to do my own cleaning and gardening

E)Finances in general

F) Other (Please Specify):

3) The biggest challenge in transition home turned out to be:

A) Managing a household budget

B) Cooking for my family

C) Cleaning for my family

D) Filling my days

E) Loneliness

F) Other (Please Specify):

4) When I decided to return home from the work world, I wish someone would have told me:


5) When I decided to return home, the best advice I received was:



This article is just in it's planning stage, but if I manage to get it published, I will let you know!


Updated to Keep this at the top for a while and to add note:
If you would like to mention this post on your blog and send women my way, I would really appreciate it, and it would really help my research!

(Originally Posted 5/7)