Married Women With Children Should Stay Home To Save Money?
Barefoot and Pregnant?
I will link to the blog I am referring to, Abstinence-Is-Sexy.com, because I want to ask, “What in Sam Hell are you thinking?” What is even more troublesome to me? A woman is behind the statement-and I am quoting,
“Married women with young children should stay home because doing so benefits themselves and their families. Plus, you’ll save money too. How cool is that?”
I respect her opinion. I am the daughter of a mother who did not have to work outside the home until my father passed away and she had no choice but to go back to the workforce when I was 16. Did her staying home all those years benefit me? I’m sure it did -but I grew up in the 70s and 80s, completely different times compared to today’s world. (We were considered upper-middle class then, now we would be lower middle class). She does state that a mother staying home isn’t right for all, but this is the only moment of clarity in thinking at all.
Let me ask you something. Have you watched the news lately? Do you live in an area where parents don’t have a choice but to work, some two jobs, just to keep food on the table, (barely), and the bills paid? Tell me, what would happen if the mother, in such a family, stayed home? The family would suffer, the children would go without the basic needs and the already confounded welfare system could not keep up with the demands. (Some abuse it, some need it- this is another topic). These people are not living lavish lifestyles where they could give up a vacation, or two, a Mercedes and stop attending cocktail parties. No, the women, who sacrifice time with their children are doing so, not because they want to be a man’s equal-they’re working in the hopes their children will have a better life, food in their stomachs and a roof over their heads. In an Utopian world your idea wouldn’t be an idea at all- it would be a reality. Unfortunately, reality today is a frightening place to be.
Am I a feminist because I disagree? If anyone wants to label me with the term, I’m perfectly ok with it. I admire the women who are able to stay home with their children. I also admire the women who are able to balance a career and be the nurturing mother every child deserves. With your post, though, I feel as if you have a skewed view of the world. June Cleaver doesn’t live here anymore. And yes, women can and do have it all-by their own choices and not at the expense of their children.
It’s nice to visit you site and leave a comment here. I believe that married woman have different situation so i cannot say it’s good or bad to stay at home. It also depends on how the whole family talk about this issue.
Times have surely changed women have more opportunities available to them today than they did in the past. With that said I hate to hear the phrase of what a person should do. I have personally been on both sides of the table and I think it solely depends on each family and what works best for them. Each have pros and cons to consider.
There will always be exceptions, but if you asked most women with children if they preferred to work or stay at home, an overwhelming number would want to stay at home. If you asked the husbands and their children the same question, they would want mom to stay at home, too. This is proven by statistics over the decades. Having a parent home to run the household and manage young children (it can be a mom or a dad), IS much better for children, even better than extra money.
While I agree that society has changed somewhat since the 60s, children are still children and they need their parents, especially during their young years.
The reason why so many women have to work now (since the late 1990s) is because of inflation. Oddly enough, this inflation was brought about in part by women leaving their families to work outside the home. This expansion of the workforce also expanded the money flowing in the system; prices went up and taxes went up. Before the 1990s, it was not an economic necessity that women work to feed their families.
For the most part, schools have taken over as the trainers and nurturers of children. This causes more problems for society, and is proven through statistics, as well as a good look around…
Depends on the lady, I never put my opinion in it because women get so hustle when you tell them if you think a women should stay at home or not.
I don’t dispute the fact that yes, in a perfect world that it is better to have a mother home during the formative years. My issue is the statement made about saving money if the “woman” stays home. For a vast majority of families this isn’t possible- I live in a state where two parents have no choice but work, some 2 jobs, just to keep their heads above water, without having to resort to welfare.
I felt like her post set us back 50 years. I do think women can have it all-a family and a career. And why can the father be the stay-at-home parent? Because women, unless extremely lucky, still make on average $10,000 less a year than men-performing the same jobs.