15 Main Roles and Responsibilities of a SAHM
Do you wonder what stat-at-home moms (SAHMs) do all day long? I did too. Before I was a SAHM, I wasn’t quite what a day in the life of a SAHM looked like. Was it easy? What do those moms do all day?
Well, I’m here to tell you that it’s not an easy job. You’d be surprised by all of the different roles and responsibilities a SAHM can have.
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If you’re wondering what types of things a SAHM does as part of her role, you’ve come to the right place. While not every mom’s tasks look the same, these are some common duties that fall under the SAHM role. What each mom actually does will depend on her preferences and the help she has at home.
Now, let’s take a look at the many roles and responsibilities of a stay-at-home mom.
Duties and Responsibilities of a Stay-At-Home Mom
If you were writing a stay-at-home mom job description, these are some of the job requirements that might be included. Again, some moms split these tasks with their husbands or helpers. However, a majority of these duties often fall on the SAHM.
When asked, many mothers jokingly said “everything” in response to what their responsibilities are as a SAHM. We know that SAHM’s face their own struggles and have a lot on their plates. Let’s take a look at what the job of a SAHM entails.
1. Taking Care of the Children
The number one priority of SAHMs is to take care of the children. This in itself is a huge task and is a full-time job on its own.
SAHMs make sure that all basic needs of their children are met. This includes everything from bathing to entertainment.
This is similar to the care provided by daycare services or childcare work. Except there are no hours of operation and the shift is 24 hours a day.
2. Teaching
While many SAHMs choose to homeschool, the teaching role isn’t secluded to that choice only. Moms who have children in school help with homework and pick up the slack if their child needs additional help with their schoolwork.
Teaching isn’t limited to schoolwork either. SAHMs are responsible for helping their child reach mental and physical milestones. This includes everything from teaching their babies how to roll over to making sure their older children are learning to be good people.
3. Meal Planning
Since SAHMs are usually the ones shopping for and preparing meals, they are the ones who have to plan the meals. Each day, they figure out what they will feed their family from breakfasts, lunches, dinners, and snacks.
They need to anticipate the needs of everyone in the family in this way and be prepared. A lot of moms plan meals weeks or months in advance to stay organized and on top of things.
4. Cooking
Once the meals are planned, most SAHMs do the majority of the preparation and the cooking. They are, in a way, the family’s private chef. They know everyone’s likes and dislikes and prepare meals that cater to their family’s tastes.
5. Personal Shopping
Along with purchasing groceries, SAHMs tend to shop for everything else too. They make sure that the house is stocked with all of the basic necessities everyone needs.
Since they do most of the shopping, moms have to keep up with everyone’s personal shopping needs. Does Dad need new razors? Does the baby need more diapers? Has Kevin outgrown his 3T clothes?
6. Accounting
Even though stay-at-home moms aren’t earning a paycheck, they do often run the finances in the home. This includes everything from creating goals, budgeting, spending, and saving.
In this way, SAHMs operate much like financial planners and accountants. Not only do they manage the finances, they often are the ones paying bills and following up on incoming money.
7. Nursing
Even if they don’t have a nursing degree, SAHMS are usually in charge of taking care of sick family members. They care for everyone who is sick meaning they research and identify illnesses, adjust schedules, provide comfort, monitor, provide medication, and seek professional help when necessary.
8. House Cleaning
There are so many cleaning responsibilities that fall under the duties of SAHMs. We learned that how much help moms get around the house varies widely based on their partnerships and preferences.
House cleaning responsibilities often include everything from daily to seasonal tasks. They include but aren’t limited to the following:
- Dusting
- Vacuuming
- Sweeping
- Mopping
- Clearing clutter
- Cleaning surfaces
- Dishes
- Children’s toys and belongings
- Bathrooms
- Kitchen and appliances
9. Laundry Service
Along with other cleaning services, SAHMs are often in charge of laundering all of the family’s clothing and other items like bedding. This is a big, time consuming task when there are several people in the home.
This task includes gathering and sorting items to be washed, washing them, drying them, and then folding/hanging, and putting them away. If items are stained or soiled, then they provide stain treatments and extra care.
10. Outside Maintenance
A lot of SAHMs get help with some of the yard maintenance, like mowing or weedeating. However, this isn’t always the case.
More often than not, a lot of moms still end up doing a lot of the outside maintenance on the home. These duties include things like weeding, planting, painting, and other chores.
11. Scheduling
Most SAHMs are the sole keeper of the family schedule. They keep track of everything that everyone in the family has going on. They track appointments, games, activities, and events and ensure that everything gets done on time.
12. Chauffeuring
Since SAHMs are home with the kids, they end up being their ride to wherever they need to go. This turns them into somewhat of a chauffeur for the family.
They drive everywhere including doctor appointments, errands, activities, and play dates. This gets a lot more time consuming when the kids get older and are involved in more activities and things like sports.
13. Event Planning
Holidays, birthdays, and special events fall under most SAHM’s umbrellas. They plan, organize, and host a lot of events!
Some moms love this part and others hate it. We can all agree that planning and hosting events is quite the task though.
14. Organizing
Since a SAHM runs the household, she is generally in charge of how it’s organized. Everything from the kitchen cupboards to her children’s sock drawer falls under a mom’s organization list.
That’s a lot of stuff to keep track of and maintain!
15. Inventory Managing
Since SAHMS are in charge of the shopping and organizing, they are the ones who are in charge of noticing if the cereal is almost gone, if they need more bandages, and if the dog food is running low.
Moms are constantly inventorying items in the home and making sure they don’t run out. This includes everything from emergency preparedness to everyone’s individual hygiene items. They make sure things are used before their expiration date and that everyone has everything they need.
SAHM Responsibilities and Duties FAQ
What do stay at home moms do all day?
A day in the life of a stay-at-home mom will vary from mother to mother. They all have different priorities and goals. However, the majority of stay-at-home mothers spend most of the day taking care of their children.
They have other responsibilities such as cleaning, cooking, and organizing that are fit into the day when possible. SAHMs may also make room for social activities for themselves and their children during the day.
What tasks does your mother do at home?
Mothers all do different tasks at home. Some common tasks are cooking, cleaning, managing the finances, scheduling, and organizing.
What are the duties of a stay at home wife?
When your wife stays at home, she generally is in charge of maintaining the house and the children. This includes everything from childcare to scheduling to financial planning. However, couples will break up the duties at home differently based on their needs and preferences.
Conclusion
This list of responsibilities for stay-at-home moms is not all-inclusive. Roles and duties will vary from mom to mom and from household to household. We all have different priorities and challenges.
Not all moms do the things on this list and some do many more things. This is just a list of common roles and responsibilities that fall on the parent who stays at home with the kids.
