I can relate to how you feel. I too grew up in a family where both of my parents were rarely home. Both worked and I spent the majority of non-school hours in a daycare or with a babysitter - until about age 13. Ironically at around that age my mom quit her job (it made her miserable) and never went back to work. My dad would always berate her for it, even though he made more than enough to support the family. To him, a sahm was like a four-letter word and I grew up with that ethic. I was adamant about having a career - I went to college, then grad school, got good grades and landed a well-paying job, albeit very demanding in terms of hours and stress. It was fine until me and my husband decided to start a family. Deep down, I knew that I wanted to stay home with my child while he is young. In kindergarten and elementary school I was jealous of the other kids whose moms picked them up after school and who were there for the school plays and pizza lunches. My husband was completely supportive of my decision to stop working once my son was born. I love spending my days with my baby and I can get all the chores done during the week so that we can spend the whole weekend as a family. I don't miss the office and the stress, but I do sometimes miss the status my job gave me in other people's eyes. My relationship w/ my father has changed because of my choice. He thinks I am "throwing away" my career and education. It makes me feel very uncomfortable - to the point where I barely talk to him anymore. A lot of my self esteem used to come from my father's pride in my accomplishments. But that was not sustainable. It is your life, nobody else's, so you live it how you want. You can take pride in being a sahm - no matter what anybody says. And when you want to go back to work, it may not be easy to find a job but if you are creative and persistent, you will find a way.