Any stay-at-home parents of older kids here? Do you feel judged or do you have fears of your future?

I became a stay at home mom when my kids were born nine and ten years ago. I'd always thought that I would return to work once my kids were school age. Actually, I was desperate to return to work and feel like a normal adult, doing normal adult stuff around other working adults. I thought things would be so much easier now that my kids had turned 9 & 10 years old. But that was not the case.Before I started working, the house was always clean, the laundry always done and put away, the fridge always full of food, meals were always cooked in the house, kids had packed lunches everyday, and financing was in order with bills always paid on time. If kids got sick at school, it was no big deal because I could swoop in and within 5 minutes pick them up. If the kids wanted me to volunteer at one of their school activities, I was always there. Life had a rhythm that our household had gotten used to.After getting hired full time, I hated it! Things became crazy around the house. Everything turned to shit. I was struggling and stressed trying to keep up with everything. We started getting fast food and take out often because I was not always up to grocery shopping and cooking. The laundry pile was now a permanent thing because I just couldn't keep up with it. Every morning we were digging in the pile of wrinkly clothes trying to find something to wear. Within my first week of work my daughter had gotten sick at school. It was difficult for me to leave work early because I had just started a few days prior and my husband has a really high demanding job, which also makes it difficult for him.It quickly became clear, working outside the house for me was just not worth it and I quit. I was only earning $12/hour which was not a big loss for us because my husband makes exponentially a lot more.However, not working comes with its own set of anxieties and judgments at this stage of parenting. What will I do when my kids graduate high-school, will I be employable after not working for so long? When I speak with other parents who also have older kids I could feel their judgment by the questions they ask. I live in a blue collar neighborhood where it is common for both parents to work to maintain the household. Some parents cannot understand why I wouldn't work since my kids are older. Me and my husband have always made the choice to live bellow our means with a smaller and affordable house in order to have some financial freedom.It has gotten to a point that I am embarrassed to say that I am a stay at home mom to older kids. My family has made comments to me about "living the good life" and not working. I hate the judgment and it makes me stay away. I would love to hear from other stay at home parents.And one last thing, I have to say is that I have mad respect for working parents. via /r/Parenting https://ift.tt/2nuCi4e