Why I Quit My 9-5 to Be a Stay-at-Home Mom (and What I Gained)
Hey, friend! I want to share a story with you—why I quit my 9-5 to be a stay-at-home mom. It may not be groundbreaking, but it’s been such a defining part of my life—one that I see so differently now than I did when I was first walking through it.
For a long time, I assumed I’d follow a more traditional career path. And in many ways, I did. But even before becoming a mom, there was always a quiet knowing in me that when I had kids, I wanted to be home with them—especially in those early years. In a way where I could be present. Where I could be the one they reached for. Where I wasn’t constantly split between two worlds.
That quiet knowing was rooted in my own childhood.
Why I Knew I Wanted to Be a Stay-at-Home Mom
I had a great upbringing, but my dad was in the military and gone for the first several years of my life, and my mom worked. That meant babysitters, after-school programs, and daycare were just a part of my life. And I remember—even from a young age—just wanting to be with them. I remember feeling jealous of the kids whose moms picked them up from school or were there in the afternoons. That feeling stuck with me more than I realized.
So somewhere along the way, it quietly became a goal: If I could be home with my kids one day, I would.
When I became a mom, that feeling only grew stronger.
Going Back to Work After Maternity Leave
This was harder than I expected. Not because I couldn’t handle it, but because it didn’t feel right for me. I was only seeing my son for a couple hours a day, and it felt like I was missing the very things I had always dreamed of being present for.
The small things.
The ordinary things.
The things that don’t seem like a big deal—until you realize they’re actually everything.
Breastfeeding became extremely challenging once I returned to work. Pumping was exhausting me, and I struggled with the reality that I couldn’t just nurse him the way I wanted. There was a lot of guilt tied up in that season. A lot of shame and disappointment. And a lot of internal back-and-forth trying to convince myself that this was just how it had to be.
But the truth was…it didn’t have to be.
The Moment Everything Shifted
Several months later, things at work started to weigh on me…heavily.
I was feeling unappreciated. A little taken advantage of. Like my voice didn’t really matter, no matter how much I gave or how hard I worked. The support that I needed just wasn’t there, and over time, it started to take a toll on me mentally and emotionally. It affected the way I showed up as a wife, as a mother, and as myself. Depression started to settle in.
And then there was this quiet realization that kept coming back to me:
Work will always be there.
But this season with my son won’t.
Those early years—the ones that shape them, that build their confidence, their security, their inner voice—you don’t get those back.
Around that same time, we started navigating some speech delays with my son. Between evaluations, appointments, and therapy, it became even more clear how much he needed consistency, time, and support at home.
And I’ll never forget this part—because it still makes me emotional to this day.
Within just three weeks of being home with him full-time…we saw progress. Big, noticeable progress. The kind that makes you pause and think, wow…this matters more than I even realized.
That was the confirmation I didn’t know I needed.
Leaving my 9–5 wasn’t a decision that happened overnight. It was something my husband and I had talked about long before taking action—something we had planned for financially and prayed over continuously. We knew this was the direction we ultimately wanted to go. But like most big decisions, there was still fear that crept in.
Fear in letting go of what was familiar.
Choosing something that looked different.
Trusting that it would all work out.
Not because I didn’t know what I wanted—but because it’s scary to walk away from something you’ve known for years, something you worked so hard for.
But once I finally did, there was so much peace in it.
And what I’ve built since then has been something I’m incredibly grateful for.
What Life Looks Like After Leaving My 9–5
I started my own business doing consulting work, which has been such a rewarding way to still use my skills and experience—in a way that fits into my life, instead of competing with it. I get to work with people who truly value and appreciate me, and I have the flexibility to be present where it matters most.
At the same time, I’ve been able to pour into ItsHannahCallahan—something that had been on my heart for a long time. Having a space to share, create, and connect has brought me so much joy.
And my days now? Well, they look a little different.
There are still deadlines and commitments at times, but they exist on my terms. They fit around slow mornings, afternoon naps, snack requests, speech therapy, and all the ordinary moments in between that I was once missing.
It’s a rhythm that feels more intentional. More like the life I had always hoped to create.
And I don’t take that for granted.
Because at the end of the day, I’ve come to know this: I’m not replaceable here.
Not in my son’s life.
Not in my home.
Not in these everyday moments that are shaping him into who he is and who he’ll become.
Seeing Both Sides of Motherhood
I’ve lived both sides of this.
The full-time working mom who only gets glimpses of her child at the beginning and end of the day. And now, the mom who is home full-time—who gets to be there for everything, but also carries the weight of being everything, all at once.
And the truth is…neither one is easy.
It’s hard to be away from your child more than you want to be.
It’s hard to work all day and then come home and step into a second full-time role.
And it’s also hard to stay home—to pour out constantly, to hold so much, to be needed in every moment.
It’s all hard. Just in different ways.
So I see you—the moms doing both. The ones navigating work and home, and the ones holding it all together within the walls of it. There isn’t one right way to do this. There’s just the way that works for you and your family, in the season you’re in.
This season, of me being home, won’t last forever. One day, he won’t need me in the same ways he does now, and life will shift again. And when that time comes, work will still be there.
But right now—this is where I'm meant to be. And I wouldn't trade it for anything.
If you're new to ItsHannahCallahan, you can read more about me here.
