I am happy to be wrong, but can you explain where I am wrong? I didn’t wildly exaggerate academic research. I quoted from a research paper that is a meta-analysis of over 60 studies. I have also read Ellen Galinsky’s book on this same subject, and it pretty much says the same thing. There is only an advantage to mom working when it relieves some kind of real or perceived economic pressure. Otherwise, it’s a disadvantage. I don’t know where these studies are that show that it doesn’t matter, but I am not really sure they exist. I haven’t seen them. I do think that there is a general myth about their existence in mainstream media though. I am not a conspiracy theorist or anything, but working moms make great employees. They work hard, are good at their jobs, and only cost $0.80 on the dollar compared to a man doing the same work AND there is no cost to society to care for their children. It doesn’t surprise me that you FEEL like these studies exist, but I don’t think they really do. |
| It's great that you're happy with your choices and "status quo" and you shouldn't let the petty judgments of others dilute your pleasure. At the same time, maybe there is a middle ground between pure-SAHM and more natural states of being. Would you consider taking casual work or volunteering? A nice example of the former is working a few hours a week (usually weekend afternoons) as a sign-spinner. You stand in front of a retail location, normally on a busy thoroughfare and spin a large rectangular sign in elaborate, fast-moving ways. This type of marketing is very popular with mattress retailers, as merely one example. It's also a great workout and fun way to interact with the community. Opportunities in volunteerism are even broader. Consider becoming a greeter at the local library, soup kitchen, or hall of records. What do you think? |
Content, successful women like this don't bash other women for making different choices like OP is describing - they are happy with their lives and happy for others as well. |
I took the trouble of extending this idea and would appreciate a response. |
I'm a SAHM who does not need to work for money. I think in such a case (not needing money), it is better that such jobs are left for people who need to earn money to meet their needs. It could be college students who are putting themselves through school (cause parents are not able to afford their college), or retirees (some people did not earn enough or save enough to retire comfortably), WOH people (cause they need to work), people without insurance who have faced a catastrophic loss monetarily, or even new immigrants to this country. |
Here is a response: Women volunteering is essentially WORKING FOR FREE and enables the patriarchy. Women should be paid for their labor just like men. Most of the volunteers you see at museums, schools, etc are women because men will rarely work for free. |
What is your definition of meaningful job? |
Would you encourage your daughters to work? If not are you encouraging their education? Serious question. Honestly, if only those who HAD to work for money did, our society (that you reap the benefits of) would be in a very different place. |
Very nasty know-it-all, I was talking about work for pay, see below:
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What woman who doesn’t need money would want to work as a sign spinner? Seriously? I don’t think people who desperately need money want to work that job.
But to answer the question, no, it wouldn’t work for me. Chances are, they would want me to work hours that would require me to find childcare. It’s easy to think you can tell a place “I can only work 8-3 and never on weekends or holidays”, but so does everyone else. Just because I have kids doesn’t make me special. Someone has to work 3-dusk, why shouldn’t it be me? And I’m not working minimum wage just so I can say I have a job to please you, when it means the money I make will go to a daycare or sitter? What’s the point? |
You go first DP. That sounds like a great second job for you! |
No don't say this. You are fortunate. Be grateful. No one's time is more valuable than another's and this implies a superiority that is inappropriate. Just smile and say you're good. She has some issue and is projecting on to you. |
I laughed at this suggestion. It HAS to be sarcasm, right? Physically demanding, unpleasant, and minimum wage? No one who doesn't have to is going to want that, ludicrous suggestion. The WOH/SAHM back and forth played out in the UMC and above doesn't suggest every SAHM get a shitty minimum wage job for the sake of employment. Clearly, that's not where things get dicey. It's in the "I quit 2 years after I finished medical residency/as a big law associate/when I got married after grad school/etc.) where the debate happens. |
| More like, “ I quit because it was just so hard doing everything on the home and kid front while my husband worked all the time and did nothing around the house. “ |
+1. This is so dumb. Pretty much every working mom in NW DC with a decent earning spouse doesn’t HAVE to work. But we do. |