Young Mother Said She Preferred Working Rather Than Sitting at Home With Kids and Stirred Up a Storm Online

In recent years, online debates have not subsided regarding the question of what is harder for a woman: staying at home with children or going to work. Sarah Torressan also contributed to this discussion. The young woman posted a video on TikTok where she explained why she considers the time spent in the office as real relaxation compared to those days when she has to stay with the little ones. Her post gathered numerous comments.

Sarah Torressan prefers going to work to staying at home with kids.

Sarah lives in Melbourne, Australia, with her husband and two children. On Mondays, she stays home with the little ones, and on the other weekdays, she goes to work. Since she has the opportunity to compare both options, she decided to share her thoughts on TikTok. Torresan also asked users to share who they think needs a good night’s sleep more: those who stay at home or those who work in offices.

For Sarah, office days are a real treat. While Torresan commutes to or from work, she listens to her favorite podcasts and music. During breaks, she can grab a cup of hot coffee and simply stroll around the city. Sarah enjoys chatting with her colleagues, discussing serious and “adult” topics, and feels that parts of her brain that have been idle for a long time are being activated.

By the end of the day, Sarah manages to miss her little ones and eagerly anticipates the moment she returns home. And the kids are happy to see their satisfied mom as well. If given the opportunity, Torresan would go to work every day.

On the other hand, on her “stay-at-home” days, from early morning until late at night, Sarah constantly has to deal with completely irrational arguments and scandals. She spends the whole day running around like a squirrel in a wheel, with no time left to take care of herself. In fact, Torresan cannot even sit down for a moment, and she rarely has the opportunity to enjoy a hot cup of coffee. All of her energy and time go into entertaining her little daughters.

Sarah said, “You’re being yelled at for things, it is all about what you need to do for someone else.” On such days, Sarah genuinely longs for normal human interaction. She is sure that other parents who stay at home would give a lot just to sit alone in their car for 45 minutes and listen to the radio.

Many people online supported her.

The video quickly went viral, gathering over 85,000 views and numerous comments. Some users agreed with Sarah. One woman noted that work for her is simply a paid vacation from sitting at home with her children. Another mother wrote that she works as a chef, so at home, she does pretty much the same things as at work. Only she doesn’t get paid for it, and she also has to watch over her child constantly.

Another person added that they would simply go crazy if they had to spend entire days indoors with their beloved children. And someone said, “Being a stay-at-home mum since 2020 is literally killing me, I don’t even know how to interact with other adults.”

Others are sure Sarah is wrong.

Sarah herself admitted that a lot depends on what a parent does for a living. Therefore, it’s not surprising that some people disagreed with her. One mother noticed that she has been raising children for eight years and doesn’t want to return to work at all. Especially since she can do whatever she wants at home.

Another woman said that she works in elderly care, so taking care of children seems like an easier job to her. A teacher agreed with her. And a mother of five noted that household chores are nothing compared to a regular job.

There are ups and downs to being a mom, staying at home.

In recent years, more and more parents prefer leaving their jobs to take care of their children. And this choice is not only made by women but also by men. Mostly, adults are convinced that this will only benefit their children. Some researchers note that having at least one parent at home increases academic achievement among children of primary school age. In addition, such children have been observed to have lower levels of stress compared to their peers who attend daycare or kindergarten.

At the same time, many mothers and fathers who have decided to stay at home for one reason or another suffer from increased anxiety and depression. As research has shown, both stay-at-home mothers and working mothers feel undervalued and experience pressure from society, which condemns their choice.

As a result, both groups may experience loneliness and social isolation. That is why, according to experts, both working women and homemakers need to find a balance between family and career while not forgetting their own needs.