So, my son's friend says to me this morning.....

Tell him you are the CEO of your family. That no job could possibly afford to pay you what you are worth.

'Oh really? Well, it's unfortunate you're a little shit'

I wouldn't really say that but I'd be tempted.

I have never had anyone say that to me. I guess I would have just wanted to ask him, "why do you think it's unfortunate?" He probably doesn't have any other frame of reference right now. Or he actually thinks it's unfortunate and hasn't developed a filter yet. It might have been a good conversation.

Tell them you are independent and own your own Logistics Company.  Seriously, what is wrong with people.

I know how you feel. Even my husband's co-workers- who have never met me, have asked "Is Sue going back to work yet?" repeatedly over the years.

I felt very much like you- didn't need to work, I was most effective at home (IMO), and I really didn't want to add a job to the mix. But every year a few things would happen to make me think "Maybe it's time." I used to feel so necessary...but every year older the kids got, it seemed less so. I still had lots of things to do - but I started noticing subtle things from my family that made me think "Oh hell no. I am not your personal assistant." It took a little while for the feelings to accumulate - but eventually, it became depressing. An opportunity came up and I took a part time job.

And you know what people say NOW?
"So you aren't going to use your degree?"
"Are you just getting your feet wet- but then you'll get a real job?"
"Why that job? You have a degree!"
"You do what now?"

And if/when I answer these questions, I often see a disappointed expression. Or hear a disappointed tone in their voice.
Why? When I was teaching, people diminished that. It was a good 'mom job'- all that time off. But it was never anything that impressed anyone (not that I cared).

My point is- no matter what you're doing- people will ask stupid questions and have stupid responses to your answers. Nothing is ever good enough for some people.
Get a few 'stock answers' in your head and practice saying them, so they flow right out of your mouth when the time comes.

Please do NOT use the CEO response. Please.

I would have been floored. I have been at SAHM and now I work full time. Every job has ups and downs and great things and bad things. Every job is worthwhile no matter what the heck you do. If you were a janitor would you be embarrassed and say you were CEO of toilets?

I hate HATE when people say "you are lucky to stay home" or "I could never stay home; I'd be bored in a day" or "what do you DO all day?" or to working parents "do you EVER get to see your kids?" or "I could never let someone else raise my kids."

STOP IT!!!

Make your own choices and own them. I have taught my kids this and it is one of things that makes me so proud of them. They wouldn't consider making those statements even in their heads. WTF kind of child is it who would say such a thing? It was great you didn't try to justify anything and you were probably better off saying nothing.

That comment, made to me, around me, about anyone I have ever met or knew, would incense me more than anything. It is so unbelievable that in 2016 we have teenagers (!!) saying such dismissive comments.

All I can think that I would have said to him is "How unfortunate for you." And in my head I would have thought the rest "...that you're growing up stupid."

Holy moly lotsokids I can tell you it would be a conversation I'd have with all my children to hear their thoughts on what that boy said. Because 1) that child has some warped thinking and 2) that child is spanking rude.

His comments were rude.

I am a work-at-home mom with two teen boys. I agree that they sometimes need me more than they did as toddlers. One of them seems to talk almost non-stop from the second he walks in the door from school until he falls asleep, often after midnight.

He will come into my bedroom after midnight - I am still awake, but reading in bed - and start unloading about all his concerns. Oh, child, I love you, but really? At this time of night? I redirect the conversation to a time in the future when I am more awake and can better pay attention.

I can't imagine having a "regular" job where I have to work set hours. I love the flexibility of working when and where I want.

I so wish I had the luxury of being an SAHM, but since I do not, this is the next best thing. I would still be busy non-stop if I were an SAHM.

Lisa

I've met many people who think if you're not getting a paycheck, you're lazy and worthless.

My mother keeps saying "maybe you can get a real job now!"

I would've told him to park it and spent the next ten minutes telling him exactly what I thought. He's old enough to handle it. I'd start by saying "you should be very embarrassed by what you just said and I'll tell you why".

And yeah, I like the "little shit" part too.

I would have been so shocked that I don't know that I could have stopped myself from asking the little shit in a combative tone exactly WHAT was so unfortunate about my being a SAHM. I'd probably tell him why MY HUSBAND AND I made the decision for me to not work full time as it was the best choice for OUR family. It was a deliberate and strategic choice to facilitate the type of family life we wanted. And that our decision is not a judgment on other families who decide differently or that we think our choice is the only, correct choice for everyone.

He was rude but on the other hand, that is such a teenager type statement. Blanket, one-sided, judgmental, dismissive, and black/white. Don't they know everything at that age?

"Fortunate for us, WE don't need my salary."

SAHM here, and our kids are long gone and on their own, at ages 26 and 28. gulp!

I was the major breadwinner in my chosen profession for the first five years of our marriage, while DH was getting first his Masters and then his Ph.D.  We moved to another country when our first child was 10 months old, my credentials were not recognized, but neither dh nor I wanted me to work.  (If I had wanted to, he would have been supportive.)  But with a husband working 60+ hours a week and needing to travel for his job, we both felt the best choice for our kids and our family was for me to stay home.  I don't regret it for a second, but it sure would have been EASIER in many ways to go to work and have someone else care for our kids. It would have been nice to have adults to interact with in a professional setting.  etc. etc.  

I, like many SAHMs, helped raise the kids of the working moms as Basket1lady has stated here.  Taking them to after school classes, or bringing them home for a few hours after school. etc. etc.  

In addition I spent HUNDREDS of hours volunteering in various capacities at their schools, preschool thru high school.  As the kids grew older and needed me less I started volunteering by taking on multiple large roles at our UU congregation, and working on political campaigns and social justice issues.  I don't feel the need to justify my existence to anyone.  Not sure what I would have said to that teen boy, but I definitely would have thought it to be very rude.  

'Oh really? Well, it's unfortunate you're a little shit' 

This quote applies to both the teen and Yubon. 

I may regret this, but I agree with Yubon.  Please don't call it 'raising' someone else's kids.  I hate when people say that a babysitter/daycare/driver? says that. Parents raise their kids by making the best choices they can for their family  For some that's SAHMs, for some that's WOHMs for others that's any hybrid variation of working/sah parent(s).
When I was working I raised my kids.  While I wasn't physically there with them I paid for the very best child care I could provide and occasionally relied on others to help out. 
Now that I'm a SAHM/WAHM I still raise my kids, and only my kids.  Sure I help out working parents, I'm glad I'm able to, but I would never ever call it raising them, good grief.