Women Leaving the Workplace: How to Make the Transition from Work to Home

Rating:
Summary: This book literally changed my life
Review: After having my 3rd child at age 38, I wanted more than anything to stay home with that baby. Although it seemed unthinkable for the family to be able to get along without my paycheck, I read this book looking for some hope (I was still on maternity leave).

Larry Burkett offered very practical advice on preparing to leave your job, and avoid having to return more in-debt a year or so later. He also polled several women that had done it, and the book is sprinkled with their heartwarming stories. It gave me the courage to follow his step-by-step instructions, and leave my full-time management job within a year of reading the book.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent and eye-opening
Review: As a "married", Christian, working woman of three children, I went to this book for guidance and real advice on trying to figure out how to stay at home. I simply did not find that. It may help others that want to stay home and need to know that it can come at ANY cost and to ANYONE, but for those needing practical advice, this book just does not help. When one of the first things I read in this book is that many of society's problems are the result of unwed mothers I had to laugh! Then I went to the front of the book and realized a man wrote this.

Rating:
Summary: I was inspired
Review: I enjoyed this book very much. I am considering becoming a stay at home mom. I bought this book and a non-christian book. They were both helpful. I was most inspired by reading what I considered to be God inspired Bible based information. I also like it that his stories were real and not intended to sugar coat the experience. I am making plans to resign my job soon with Gods direction. A bonus of this book to me is the emphasis on Godly managed finances.

Rating:
Summary: Not very helpful
Review: I found this book very disappointing. I bought it expecting to get some practical solutions to the real problems that may occur when a woman, especially the main wage earner, leaves her job. As an example, the chapter on Fears deals with a loss of health insurance. He simply writes "There are no simple answers at this time." Of his four suggestions for this problem, only one seems feasible. One suggestion is actually "Part-time employment" yet the title of this book is Women LEAVING

the Workplace. Another thing I found disappointing was a few of his "inspirational" stories. One woman writes how she wanted to stay home so bad that she quit her job at a time when her husband also had no job ( he was a student at the time). I find this irresponsible not "inspirational." Another woman writes "There isn't a day that he (her husband) isn't in extreme back pain,...." ( from him working so hard to support the family). This is "inspirational? " The women also writes that their kitchen is "overflowing with food from our church." I believe there is a place for charity but I do not see depending on charity so I can stay home with my family as an option for me. That is why I am reading books like this, to try an avoid this! The chapter titled "Are You Wasting Your Education?" caught my attention (I have a Civil Engineering degree), he writes "... an extended education can be very useful after the children have left home." Not really practical in many professions. Also he is saying it is useful AFTER the children have left, what about while the children are at home? I read Larry Burkett's "Financial Guide for Young Couples" and I found this to be a much better book for dealing with at least the financial aspect of living on one income.

Rating:
Summary: Not the best out there
Review: I frankly don't know what the best book on this subject is but this can't be it. I love Larry Burkett but this book did not excite me. Don't get me wrong there are several chapters with great advice and very helpful testimonies but overall I was not very impressed. Sorry...

Rating:
Summary: Gives one the courage to leave work and stay home!!!
Review: I knew I had to leave work after my 2nd child was approching her 1st birthday but struggled with how it could work. Reading this book gave me the tools I needed to leave work. Larry Burkett suggests that it takes at least a year to adjust to being home and I couldn't agree more. I have just past my first anniversary and I have kept realistic expectations of being home and it has been a wonderful year!!!

Rating:
Summary: Good Perspective
Review: I read this book while pregnant with my first child and it was helpful. Larry Burkett gives a good perspective on the pros/cons of being a stay-at-home parent. Initially, I wondered why a man would write this book since most stay-at-home parents are women. But once I began reading, I realized that he includes many true family stories as examples. Stories about faith AND practicality make this book authentic. He also includes information about personalities, including a personality test for both Mom and Dad. The budget section is gives a good basis for evaluating finances as well. Overall, a great read for parents/soon-to-be parents who are considering staying at home.

Rating:
Summary: Good Perspective
Review: Opposed to others who view Larry Burkett in negative terms, I believe he has a lot to offer those who are "teachable" and willing to learn. That his is the only solution is not the point, but he speaks from a biblical viewpoint, and it is worth listening to.

In this book, he observes how outside influences are wreaking havoc on family values, and now is the time for mothers to find a way to spend more time with their children. Two-income families outweight single-income families, he says, three to one, although it might be higher at this writing. Home-based business are becoming the trend, and even so much more now, and Burkett gives insightful, practical counsel on how to survive the cutback from two incomes to one. This is "counsel," mind you, and if you are interested in counsel, this is the place to go.

Larry also discusses the four personality types, and whether or not you agree with this mode of character types, he explores how they relate to the home environment and includes personality tests in the Appendix for both husbands and wives.

This is a valuable resource guide for women who have made the transition from the marketplace to home, and they share honest, personal accounts of victories, setbacks, fears, and joys. If it is your desire to be a stay-at-home mother, but fear financial disaster, this book will help guide you in the right direction.

My family has taken counsel from Larry Burkett, and my wife did make the transition from marketplace to a "stay-at-home Mom," and she is enjoying every minute of it. Yes, she did have some of the same issues he explores, but now with our children, she can spend her every moment with them, instead of listening to others tell her how our children are growing.

A great book, and highly recommended!...