Angela, 30, is a stay-at-home mom of three children, ages 6, 4, and 2. She is what I would call a “long-term plan” project. She and her husband, Steven, a financial planner, purposefully waited until seven years into their marriage to have their first child. Both Steven and Angela knew that stay-at-home parenting was the only plan for their family. They both had a family history of stay-at-home parenting, and decided it was worth the wait.

In order to put her husband through college, Angela worked as a full-time receptionist in the early years of marriage. They believed that by doing this, Steven would be enabled to earn more money-thereby making stay-at-home parenting possible.

The first seven years of marriage was not an easy time for Angela, as she longed to have her children much sooner. She held fast to the notion that if she could only endure those years of sacrifice, her children would not ever have to be in daycare. This conviction sustained her through the lengthy seven-year process.

Angela and Steven have found many ways to cut back on expenses to make their plan a success. They typically buy items in bulk, shop garage sales and discount stores. The library has been a great resource for them as well. Angela uses wisdom and discernment to determine the difference between a necessity and a luxury, and researches purchases beforehand to find the best deals.

Angela and Steven have also found a way to supplement the income of the household without jeopardizing the children. Instead of selling their first home when buying their second one, they kept it and now rent it out. The second home they chose also included a full walkout basement. They are now transforming the basement into an apartment for a future renter.

To supplement their income, Angela has also taken a part-time job. She works at a grocery store bakery in the middle of the night while her children are sleeping. This schedule has allowed Angela to remain with her children during the day. Because her other two children are in school now, she is able to catch up on her sleep while her toddler naps in the afternoon.

Angela has found that she has become a more patient and organized person since becoming a parent. She also finds discipline to be the thorn in her side. (Don’t we all?) She is an unselfish example of how we as mothers can make outside employment work without sacrificing the needs of our children.