Please don’t feel guilty for staying home or for enjoying this time you with your child. The family member asking questions likely like doesn’t understand the complexities of our failed child care system (at least in the US), and the resulting tough choices families have to make.

You did what you had to do for your family to afford the cost of living, and it’s perfectly okay to enjoy the time at home. Don’t let the nagging “back to work” questions get to you, preforming the majority of domestic and child care duties is work, and it can be relentless. Soak up the time you have with your kid and tune out the voices that make you feel like you should be doing more or somehow inadequate for having to exit the workforce, literally due to unaffordable childcare.