FOR ME BEING A MOTHER IS VERY HARD WORK. ESPECIALLY TAKING CARE OF SOMEONE WHO IS A SPECIAL NEED KID. I HAVE ONE. AND YES IT IS HARD. I HAVEN'T WORKED IN TWO YEARS. I ALWAYS WORKED FOR RETAIL STORES, WHICH REALLY DIDN'T PAY AS MUCH. FOR ME I WANT TO GO BACK TO WORK. BUT I WONDER IF I DECIDE TO GO BACK TO WORK WHEN I SEND THEM MY APPLICATIONS AND THEY SEE I HAVENT WORKED IN TWO YEARS THEY WON'T HIRE ME. THE ECONOMY IS DOWN AND THERE PROBABLY WON'T HAVE THAT MANY JOBS. DOES ANYONE MISS GOING TO WORK? DO YOU WANT TO GO BACK TO WORK? I DO THE SAME ROUTINE ALL THE TIME BUT IT'S A DIFFERENT DAY.

Well I have been home now for almost 2 years and I am beginning to get that go back to work bug too. I have one daughter (22 months) and I am not planning on having more children so I am torn. I really want to be with her but I miss working. I might go back to school in the Fall (part-time) for my Master's but I am stressing that it might be too much. I really don't want to miss these early years. It's been so long since I've done something else besides child care. Well good luck to us.

I have a Special needs kid as well.

Your post tugs at my heart.  I, too, have a special needs child (under autism spectrum).  I want to shout out so much praise to you.  Have faith.  You can & will be able to find work.  It may take a while but believe me when I say it can happen.  I stayed at home with my girls (I have two) & didn't work for 8 yrs.  Just this past fall my youngest started kindergarten & I went back to work part-time in the same field I was in before (bookkeeping).  I am making more an hr. than I was when I left all those years ago.  I don't have a degree but I do have past work experience.  It took a long time but it all worked out.  Don't believe the nonsense jargon that "you will never be able to work again if you take time off".  It simply is a scare tactic.  I am eternally grateful that I stayed home with my girls as long as I was able to.  Not for one second do I regret every milestone I didn't miss out on.  I have no doubt my special needs daughter progressed because I was there teaching & helping her.  She no longer is on an IEP but a 504 Plan.  Best of luck to you if you decide your return to the workforce.  Hats off to all SAHM's.

Hi Everyone!!!

Much credit to the Mom's of Special needs children, nobody knows until you live it what it's like.  It can be very isolating and lonely and you know you're doing the Best thing in the world, taking care of your child better than anyone can But that doesn't make it exciting or fun and you loose out on the adult interactions.  It won't last forever, our children will start school soon although it seems like forever and then you can go back to work and like Maria said don't believe the jargon about you not being able to get a job, anybody questions why you didn't work for 2-5 yrs and you tell then b/c you cared for your special needs child, you should be commended!!  I have my moments when I struggle with being home, I don't have a choice though, I did want to go back to work after having my son 19 months ago today But he was born 2 months premature, with an enlarged heart and needed a Heart Transplant to survive...he was on a ventialator for 4.5 months and 13 IV's going to every part of his body...he weighed 3lbs and they said he'd never make it to 6lbs for the new heart but he Did....he was 3 months old and received a Heart Transplant!!!  He's our lil Miracle and we were told numerous times he wouldn't be here....we found out from a muscle biopsy that he has a Mitocondrial Myopathy, a muscle disorder....so he is 19 months old and can only sit up, can't crawl or walk or even bear weight through his legs....he's getting PT twice a week, OT once a week and Speech once a week and he see's numerous dr's for his Heart!  We go through alot everyday and it's just me during the week, his dad is in Florida and comes up on wkds...SO believe Me ...I KNOW how hard it is and I have my moments, even with a Miracle baby who wasn't supposed to be here, that I think WOW I miss work BUT I know all my hard work with my son will pay off in that 1 day he'll walk and catch up to his peers.....we couldn't hold him or pick him up for the 1st 4 months, nobody could so he also has sensory issues...but ya know what also gets me through this unexpected world I never thought I'd be part of....there are others out there that have actually been through alot more than us and they manage and they still get through....I cried b/c I had no shoes until I met someone who had no feet!!!!

Good Luck Mama's...you're doing a Great Job!!!!  At least when we do go back to work we'll know we did the Very Best we could for our children ;-)

I'm send my prayers to those mothers who are raising speacial needs children and i deeply commend you all for being so strong as not to give up hope and send them on to foster care, i my self only have one child and he is a healthy2 month old baby boy, I still manage to work during the week,because i live with my fiance and he works weekends and goes to school during the week, i know you are aching to go back to work and still raise your child, but i say you might want to start off small,like Helping out a neighbor for pay, you know slowly getting yourself equipped to handle the 36 hr. days ( thats what they feel like with working and then caring for an infant.) i can't even imagine how much harder it will be with having a Special needs child. it can be done though and you'll find work, the economy IS indeed horrid but Small businesses tend to hire the most. I know i'm young and you may think i'm naive but i'm alot wiser than you think!!! but If You want i don't mind any messages about my tips and stagagies!