Don't be fooled. The life of a stay-at-home mom is so not the eating-bonbons/watching-soap-operas existence some might (wrongly) have you believe. Heading up a household and parenting kids -- all while trying to stay sane -- is a full-time job, with plenty of (unpaid) overtime. Family.com's Stay-at-Home Moms group is a treasure trove of SAHMs' trials, tribulations -- even mom resumes!

Confession #1:
Sometimes, they wanna picket

Picking up after the kids (not to mention their husbands), planning meals, running carpools: Where's the love? (Or, at the very least, the downtime?) Says guest aleblanc76469, "When do the moms get a break? My husband was just gone for the weekend helping his parents move and he had the nerve to come home and tell me how hard it was. He was there for 5 days and only moved on 1 of them!! The other 4 were vacation while I was here with my kids 24/7 as usual. A break every now and then would just be nice :)" What are your strike plans?

Confession #2:
They rely on imaginary friends

Kids have their playdates. SAHMs rarely do. Guest lachinitajaye says mommyhood sometimes gets so lonely she invents people to talk to. "Imaginary friend? You kidding, I got a mini city! Oh who cares if the neighbors see me "thinking out loud". Listen you have to be little nutty to walk around in this crazy world, helps to just get by, right?" She adds, "This site is great too. Gotta love modern tech to beat the blues." Thanks. We agree. Lonely? Talk about it.

Confession #3:
They long for something they don't get enough of...

Mom-time. (C'mon... what did you think we were going to say?) When guest Robinbryant79 craves some me-time, she feels it in her toes: "I would love to say I do something for my self everyday,but that would be untrue. I try to get out once a month. I meet up with a friend we go out to eat and get manicures & pedicures. That is my savior. I love the pedicure chairs." How do you make time for yourself?

Confession #4:
They want to up their cash flow

Being a stay-at-home mom is a tough job, but it doesn't pay. Many moms are looking to bring home a paycheck... from home. Says aleblanc76469, "I am always looking for something home based. I was laid off almost 2 years ago and in the area I live, jobs are slim. Not only that but the salary business' are willing to pay compared to what I would have to pay out in daycare is not worth me taking most jobs. I have a 17 year old son but do not want him to have to stop playing sports and living his life to be there for his brothers, thats just not fair." Got any home-business ideas to share?

Confession #5:
Burn-out is on the horizon

Trying to do too much is to blame for many a case of SAHM burn-out. Guest AnnabelleMcB recognizes the signs of oncoming burn-out and tackles it head-on: "I get these stretches where I feel like a day of Disney Channel is perfectly fine. That's when I realize I need to shake it up a bit. Maybe I'm trying to do too much and overextending myself. I'll let things start to slide - not worry so much about the laundry or cleaning the house - and just hang out with my son. We may go out and do a little field trip - hang out at the children's museum or the zoo. It's almost important to get some of your own time at that point. On one of my husband's day[s] off, I may have a Mommy Mental Health Day. Lunch with my own book & iPod and maybe catch a matinee by myself." What's your burn-out M.O.?