Being present in your child's life is more important than working all day.  At the same time, a parent does need to support the family. In today's world, stay-at-home parents are on the rise. Multiple studies show that in 1 out of 5 households have a stay-at-home parent. In relation to my family, I am getting involved with more and more activities, and with my father working, nobody would be able to take care of our pets, and no one would be able to be there for me all the time. So, as a solution, my mother decided to become a stay at home mom.

One of my mother's best qualities is wanting to take care of me. When my mother was still working at her job she had to change her schedule from time to time or leave work early so that she could go to some of my sporting events and other activities. If my mother wouldn't have taken off time for me, I wouldn't have ever had a ride home, because my dad was always working. When I got sick, my mother would either take off more time or see if my grandparents would watch me. My mom really didn't want my grandparents or anyone else seeing me more than her and my dad, so, after 11 years, my mom didn't want to work at her job anymore.

My mom decided to quit her job to be there for me. In 2018, my dad got a better paying job so it was easier on us financially.  A reason why my mother quit her job is because of past experiences. My grandparents worked full time, so my mom was either left alone with her sisters, or she was at her grandma's. My mom didn't want my childhood to just end up like hers, or spending my childhood with a babysitter, so she quit her job. But, this did create a financial strain on our family.

My family started to have some financial struggles. My dad had to leave his job because wanted to see me more. He asked to be on first shift, and they didn't have the position open for another 15 to 20 years. So, he had to find a job quick. That put a lot of financial stress on my dad. Luckily, my dad found a good-paying job that allows him to see me more. However, when my dad was looking for a job, my mom was stressed too, because she needed to pay for my instruments, food, and other things. However, my dad did find a job, and everything sorted itself out.

Someone's decisions can change someone's life for the better. Some people don't get to see their children all the time. I am so thankful that my mom took this risk to be with me because she cares so much about me. Some parents don't care enough to spend time with their children, and their children get neglected. My mother left her job and took a risk because she wanted to be there for me. There were some significant rough patches, but in the end, everything worked out.