If it was me writing, I’d ask how the person wanted to be identified, and just use that if it’s not really misleading.
Parent is anyone who has a child, even if they work 60-hour weeks. I don’t think it would offend anyone. Though they might not assume the parent has no outside work, just that parent is the most important role to them.
I think work-at-home is a bit cryptic, and besides, those who work elsewhere still have meal prep, childcare-if-applicable, and cleanup duties during the hours at home. Everyone who doesn’t have a personal staff works at home duties to some degree.
(stay) at-home mom/dad would get the essence (the person stays at home primarily for childcare reasons) across, and I haven’t run into anyone who it offends, even if it isn’t their first choice.
Though if someone’s on a parental leave (do they do that in the US? Take up to a year with the new kid, mom or dad or split it) I’d identify them as being on parental leave from X job.
Not “work-at-home mom,” please. I work at home (freelance copyeditor), but I have no children.* In the same vein, “working mom” is ambiguous. Let’s just assume that everyone “works” in the course of their life, whether for a paycheck or not, OK?
*I was once interrupted, when introducing myself to a group in a meeting, by a pretentious blowhard who cut off my “I work at home . . .” with “Nothing wrong with that! It’s perfectly fine to take care of the house and kids!” Asshole. How about letting me finish my sentence?
I was going to suggest “Professional Parent”, but that sounds like a doctor or lawyer who has kids. It does sound less casual than “stay-at-home mom”, though.
“Domestic Engineer” offends the hell out of me. I’ve done this before, and I’ll probably do it again, but I’m really getting tired. Stop calling yourselves “engineers” when you’re not, okay?
I vote for “People Who Have More Guts And Patience Than I’ll Ever Have,” but that’s a bit long.
How about a brand new one. “Not otherwise employed mom”
or more accurately “Not paid by an outside source to do all the crap that I do.”
Stay home mom always kills me (but doesn’t offend me at all), in that once the kids hit school age (and often before) the last thing many moms (or dads) do is stay home. Groceries, school, after school activities, kids’ social life, errands that can only be done during daytime business hours, emergency haircut runs…I’m not home all that much! I don’t find it offensive, even if it’s not all that accurate,I think it does get the point across and most people know what it implies.
I work at home and also go into my office a few nights a week. So in one sense I’m a stay home mom in that I’m with the kids during the day but I also have a job for which I’m paid by an outside source.
There’s so much diversity in employment today, it’s really hard to come up with an accurate term to define a particular parent group.
. . . Just printed this out and gave it to my editors, who say “thank you!” to all, and found the results and conversations v. interesting (hmmm . . . hope they won’t be monitering me here, now . . .).
Subject: Violation of Company’s Computer Usage Policy
It has come to managment’s attention that Eve has been logging approximately 60 hours of computer time to a Internet site called “The Straight Dope.” The site appears to be a message-board wherein many and sundry post inane questions, debate topics of less than cosmic import, rake each other over the coals for minor violations of the board’s arbitrarily and capriciously imposed rules, and tell each other their deviant sexual practices. There also seems to be an over-abundance of geeks, Sci-Fi fans, and Libertarians.
Eve’s computer usage will continue to be monitored in the coming performance evaluation period. Should her “visits” to “The Straight Dope” continue, management recommends that she be demoted to mail-room clerk or attendant in the Excecutive Men’s Room.
I know that this is now thread for thread’s sake - but I’m throwing my two bits in anyhow.
I’ve never really liked “stay-at-home-mom,” but it seems like the term which will offend the fewest people.
“Work-at-home-mom” is, I agree, misleading. My sister works from home so she can take care of her kids as well. That’s different from what I do.
“Homemaker” makes me think of a mutant Donna Reed/Martha Stewart love-child. This person’s favorite magazine is Better Homes and Gardens, over which she frequently sqeals, “How daaaaaaaaaarling!”
“Housewife” is right out, but that’s what I call myself. Or “Hausfrau.” Which I know is probably incorrect, but I’m a stupid 'Merkin.
If you’re talking about both women AND men who stay home with the kids, you might consider “stay-at-home parent.”
as I have a part time freelancing thing