Has women in the work force helped or hurt the family?

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Em_in_FL said:
Okay… so your original question was "Has women in the work force helped or hurt the family?", right?

What do you mean by the words “helped” or “hurt”?
In what regard?
I doubt you’re speaking financially… my assumption was (based on the fact that this is a Catholic board) spiritually. Spirituality is based on becoming more holy and removing sin from our lives…
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Well, yes spiritually, but not in the context of personal sin. More in the idea that we are supposed to be worried about the greater good, God and His kingdom and others. I will not judge people’s choices here as being sinful or not.

In other words, it is for the greater good that we raise strong Christians and as many as we can. Having a devoted stay at home parent helps with that mission. The world needs more Jesus, not less and Christians have drastically reduced the number of families and children they are bringing into the world. That will leave a vacuum, and the vacuum will be filled by some other religion or ideology. We need more Christ, not less. Jesus is the answer to all our problems and yet in large numbers we are rejecting that truth.
 
irishpatrick said:
Well, yes spiritually, but not in the context of personal sin. More in the idea that we are supposed to be worried about the greater good, God and His kingdom and others. I will not judge people’s choices here as being sinful or not.

In other words, it is for the greater good that we raise strong Christians and as many as we can. Having a devoted stay at home parent helps with that mission. The world needs more Jesus, not less and Christians have drastically reduced the number of families and children they are bringing into the world. That will leave a vacuum, and the vacuum will be filled by some other religion or ideology. We need more Christ, not less. Jesus is the answer to all our problems and yet in large numbers we are rejecting that truth.
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Having a devoted stay at home parent can help with that mission.
But NOT having a devoted stay at home parent doesn’t automatically harm that mission. That statement is actually working AGAINST your own very goal. The word “catholic” means UNIVERSAL… meaning, we can come from many different cultures and backgrounds, but we ALL can make up the body of Christ. We are all different members of the same body. SOME are called to work and can lead the world to Christ THROUGH that work. Others are called to stay home and can also lead the world to Christ. Different members - one body… we aren’t enemies, there isn’t only ONE path.
Suggesting there is just one “good” path will actually turn people AWAY from the faith. You don’t want to do that. 😉
 
**The Jury is in…

Guilty as charged!**

With a National [and Catholics included] Divorce rate of 50+% several, now very common and accepted national norms: Women competing with men in the workplace; abortions as birth controal; and a GREAT increase in single family homes, have shaped the America we live in. All of which are contrary to God’s Plan.

Gen. 1: [27] So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them**. [28]** And God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air and over every living thing that moves upon the earth.”

IN THE FIRST BOOK: FIRST CHAPTER IN THE BIBLE…

It would seem that there is going to be a GREAT deal of explaining to do…

God Bless,
Pat**
 
Em_in_FL said:
Having a devoted stay at home parent can help with that mission.
But NOT having a devoted stay at home parent doesn’t automatically harm that mission.
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It’s an issue of likelihood. Of course it’s possible in an absolute sense that two parents who are less often around can raise devout, Catholic children. It has been done, and will continue to be done. But working with exceptions to prove a rule is never a good thing, and irishpatrick is arguing that in general, it is less likely that children will be as well-cared for and devout, not to mention that they will be imbued with family values as all Christian children should be, if their parents are spending a greater amount of time outside the home career chasing etc - especially the mother because her bond with her children - especially when they are young - is a unique one.

The same is true for single parents, parents in a mixed-faith marriage, instances of alcoholism in the family, parents with mental disorders, parents who are in poverty, etc etc etc. It is possible for children to be raised well in these circumstances and it does occur, but if you want to play an odds game, anyone will pick a two parent household with a decent income, where both are Catholic, and that have no history of mental illness and no substance addiction.
 
Em_in_FL said:
Having a devoted stay at home parent can help with that mission.
But NOT having a devoted stay at home parent doesn’t automatically harm that mission. That statement is actually working AGAINST your own very goal. The word “catholic” means UNIVERSAL… meaning, we can come from many different cultures and backgrounds, but we ALL can make up the body of Christ. We are all different members of the same body. SOME are called to work and can lead the world to Christ THROUGH that work. Others are called to stay home and can also lead the world to Christ. Different members - one body… we aren’t enemies, there isn’t only ONE path.
Suggesting there is just one “good” path will actually turn people AWAY from the faith. You don’t want to do that. 😉
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There is only one path–through Jesus Christ. All who will be saved will be saved only through Christ, even if some do not believe that…yet I disgress. 🙂

I do not agree that it works against the goal. Since we agree that stay-at-home parents can help, then that is an ideal we should strive for. I think many couples have no desire to strive for that ideal.
 
PJM said:
**The Jury is in…

Guilty as charged!**

With a National [and Catholics included] Divorce rate of 50+% several, now very common and accepted national norms: Women competing with men in the workplace; abortions as birth controal; and a GREAT increase in single family homes, have shaped the America we live in. All of which are contrary to God’s Plan.

Gen. 1: [27] So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them**. [28]**** And God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air and over every living thing that moves upon the earth.”

IN THE FIRST BOOK: FIRST CHAPTER IN THE BIBLE…

It would seem that there is going to be a GREAT deal of explaining to do…

God Bless,
Pat

So, then the question is how do we return to sanity?
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irishpatrick said:
There are no absolutes. However, it is all about priorities. Kids are no longer a priority for many people…they are just another item on their personal life fullfillment lists. So many times we here young people state what they will do before even thinking about a family: college, masters, money, travelling, friends with benefits by any number, setting up a great single life, buying all the “stuff” a single person desires today, and then somewhere waaay down the list is the thought of maybe getting married and maybe having a kid or two as trophies.

Being a stay-at-home (not long ago) was seen as THE honorable vocation or career for women to desire…not so anymore. Women seem to be more concerned about proving that they too can be like men in today’s world. Now, before you bite my head off (that would hurt), these statements very likely might not apply to you, yet they do apply to many, likely the majority.

I feel we have lost the eternal perspective on life as we focus on our own personal fullfillment and desires. This applies to men too. Not long ago men were expected to get a job and raise a family…they did that at young ages, 18-20 years old. Today men are rarely even giving thought to that until they reach 28-30 years old, and even then it is becoming increasingly rare for men to care about raising families. Yet, not long ago it was a near absolute expectation of our young men.

If people want to help build the kingdom, they should get married, have as many kids as they can and raise them all strongly in the faith and in strong Christian moral values. But, any thought to helping build the kingdom is not even on the radar of most young people today and it is the so-called baby boomers who have taught them that (baby boomers: the most selfish generation in USA history).

As I said: times are indeed changing and I do think it is to the good.
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There are many forces at work which mess up the structure God created…One of which is that our lifespan is much longer, but our fertility lasts only so long. We have created the phase of life called “teenage,” which really didn’t exist in that form until maybe the 1950’s. Young men of 17 and 18 went off to WWII, and when they came home, they married, got to work, had children and went forward into life, for the most part. They weren’t as focused on college - not everyone needed a college degree back then because there were plenty of jobs available that didn’t require one. Over time, those sorts of jobs started disappearing - and all teens were expected to attend a 4 year university, although we all know there are some people who are just not suited for advanced education.

So now you have this so-called Teen Age of life…with its angst and rebellion and society tells kids of that age, “Your parents are old-fashioned and you are the one who knows what life is about.” But wait! They can’t actually DO anything with their lives - they aren’t allowed to really get anything started until they graduate from college. It’s even harder for kids to work after school - they have to be at least 16 unless it’s a family business, and their hours are restricted. All they can do is be a student, and be useless to society.

In past times, the kids who were doers would have been out working, creating stuff, growing stuff, and getting married and having children - by the time they were 18 or 19. Plenty long enough to wait, I think. I really think it’s cruel to young males to tell them, “Oh, God gave you this awesome gift of sexuality that’s made for marriage to that special woman, BUT you can’t even think about settling down until you’re about 26!”

:eek:
 
TheRealJuliane said:
There are many forces at work which mess up the structure God created…One of which is that our lifespan is much longer, but our fertility lasts only so long. We have created the phase of life called “teenage,” which really didn’t exist in that form until maybe the 1950’s. Young men of 17 and 18 went off to WWII, and when they came home, they married, got to work, had children and went forward into life, for the most part. They weren’t as focused on college - not everyone needed a college degree back then because there were plenty of jobs available that didn’t require one. Over time, those sorts of jobs started disappearing - and all teens were expected to attend a 4 year university, although we all know there are some people who are just not suited for advanced education.

So now you have this so-called Teen Age of life…with its angst and rebellion and society tells kids of that age, “Your parents are old-fashioned and you are the one who knows what life is about.” But wait! They can’t actually DO anything with their lives - they aren’t allowed to really get anything started until they graduate from college. It’s even harder for kids to work after school - they have to be at least 16 unless it’s a family business, and their hours are restricted. All they can do is be a student, and be useless to society.

In past times, the kids who were doers would have been out working, creating stuff, growing stuff, and getting married and having children - by the time they were 18 or 19. Plenty long enough to wait, I think. I really think it’s cruel to young males to tell them, “Oh, God gave you this awesome gift of sexuality that’s made for marriage to that special woman, BUT you can’t even think about settling down until you’re about 26!”

:eek:
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Well said.
 
TheRealJuliane said:
We have to fight against things like this with everything we have. People who try to homeschool their own children in Germany have gone to jail.

:mad:
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NH was a very pro homeschooling state. I heard our current governor homeschooled his children. We have had a liberal house and senate for 4 years. We are back to being conservative but now we are stuck with these judges. I am very disappointed.
 
irishpatrick said:
It has now been a well established fact that women pursue careers at nearly the same rate as men and they work fulltime at nearly the same rate as men. Those numbers have steadily increased for the last three decades. This has been the case long enough to help us create an informed opinion about the impact of these developments.

So, here are a few questions"
  1. Has women working fulltime outside the home been a good or bad development for the American family?
  2. Has our culture improved since women entered the workforce in massive numbers?
  3. Are our children better or worse off?
  4. Has women working fulltime made this nation stronger, weaker, or no impact?
  5. Have our children become stronger or weaker in the faith?
  6. Has entering careers and fulltime work been good or bad for women (and women who are moms)?
**Add on questions for married couples: **
  1. Would women prefer to work and let their husbands stay at home and care for their children? Or, would women rather both spouses work?
  2. Would it better to have men stay at home with the kids, rather then neither parent staying home?
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Most families have to have two incomes to make it in today’s world. I stayed at home when my kids were small, but once they started school full-time, I went to work full-time. Of course, that was at the same time my ex-husband abandoned the family, so I didn’t really have a choice.

I would say it’s beneficial that women have the choice to work. Women don’t have to drudge at home like in the old agrarian non-tech days where EVERYONE worked full-time, including small children.

My mother worked as a teacher, her mother worked as a farm wife. Women have always worked, but sometimes were not paid for it.
 
irishpatrick said:
So, then the question is how do we return to sanity?
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Start a fund that pays single mothers to stay at home to raise their kids. You’ve seen many posts here, including mine, of wives abandoned by their husbands. Ain’t no magic money fairy that comes around pays the rent and buys the food. So the mother had to go to work. Same with women abandoned by their boyfriends. Don’t want them to have abortions? Ok. Great, now support the mothers so they can stay home. $ talks, bs walks 👍

Also, this is America. If you want someone to do something — pay them. If you think families are better with SAHMS (who greet their kids after school with fresh baked cookies even), then dig deep into your wallet and pay the ladies. Hope you got deep pockets because it ain’t cheap. Health care alone for a mom and 4 kids can be $1,000/month.

If you want something, you will pay for it. If you’re not willing to pay for it, then you really don’t care. I look forward to seeing you start your fund to let moms stay at home.
 
dusty_david said:
Start a fund that pays single mothers to stay at home to raise their kids. You’ve seen many posts here, including mine, of wives abandoned by their husbands. Ain’t no magic money fairy that comes around pays the rent and buys the food. So the mother had to go to work. Same with women abandoned by their boyfriends. Don’t want them to have abortions? Ok. Great, now support the mothers so they can stay home. $ talks, bs walks 👍

Also, this is America. If you want someone to do something — pay them. If you think families are better with SAHMS (who greet their kids after school with fresh baked cookies even), then dig deep into your wallet and pay the ladies. Hope you got deep pockets because it ain’t cheap. Health care alone for a mom and 4 kids can be $1,000/month.

If you want something, you will pay for it. If you’re not willing to pay for it, then you really don’t care. I look forward to seeing you start your fund to let moms stay at home.
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We had to pay our own healthcare this month. We have 4 kids. $1824 for one month and that is with a $2000 per a person/ 6000 per a family deductable. Went up 25% last year because of added state laws and 32%.

You could give tax breaks to families with stay at home moms but I would not pay them.
 
Where I live, the state supports children by giving a certain amount every month. That can relieve the daily life a bit… however the problem is that societies are getting more and more materialistic, and things get more and more expensive.
 
I just spent the last 1/2 hour catching up on this thread :eek:

Most of the men I met in my 20’s were not interested in marrying. Most men I know are not even interested in marriage and kids until they are around the age of 35 :eek:

When I went to my parenting groups with my DD, the women were all my age. I was 36 when she was born. I did not choose to have kids that late in my life. I had a hell of a time finding a good husband and then when I did find one, the bugger didn’t want to get married for 5 years!!! It took him 3 years to propose to me and a 2 year engagement.

THEN he didn’t want to have kids right away :eek: I said, “Look buddy, I’m 35 and ain’t waiting any longer!” and it took me one month to conceive luckily. God was on my side 😃

Marriage is seen as a hinderance now. People are putting it off for fear of failure. I believe that most are now afraid of failure b/c of the high divorce rate. Men are now afraid of losing their pension in a divorce settlement. We have been duped into believing that the divorce rate is 50% when in actuality, the divorce rate for first time marriages is 21%.

There are a lot of very scared people out there and that’s a big reason why marriages and children are put on hold.

A career has always been important to me b/c I know that no matter what happens, I will always be able to provide for me and my kids. Our mortgage is insured, so I can now go on with my life knowing that I am not dependent on my husband to live.

This actually enhances our marriage. We are a partnership, not a dictatorship like marriages of the past.
 
Serap said:
I just spent the last 1/2 hour catching up on this thread :eek:

Most of the men I met in my 20’s were not interested in marrying. Most men I know are not even interested in marriage and kids until they are around the age of 35 :eek:

When I went to my parenting groups with my DD, the women were all my age. I was 36 when she was born. I did not choose to have kids that late in my life. I had a hell of a time finding a good husband and then when I did find one, the bugger didn’t want to get married for 5 years!!! It took him 3 years to propose to me and a 2 year engagement.

THEN he didn’t want to have kids right away :eek: I said, “Look buddy, I’m 35 and ain’t waiting any longer!” and it took me one month to conceive luckily. God was on my side 😃

Marriage is seen as a hinderance now. People are putting it off for fear of failure. I believe that most are now afraid of failure b/c of the high divorce rate. Men are now afraid of losing their pension in a divorce settlement. We have been duped into believing that the divorce rate is 50% when in actuality, the divorce rate for first time marriages is 21%.

There are a lot of very scared people out there and that’s a big reason why marriages and children are put on hold.

A career has always been important to me b/c I know that no matter what happens, I will always be able to provide for me and my kids. Our mortgage is insured, so I can now go on with my life knowing that I am not dependent on my husband to live.

This actually enhances our marriage. We are a partnership, not a dictatorship like marriages of the past.
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I like your posts 👍
 
I want to say to the men that blame women for the whole feminist movement…

You men brought this mess on yourselves!!! :tsktsk:

If men 100 years ago had of valued women’s roles, women would not have felt so devalued. If husbands had not have beaten their wives and children, women would not have felt the need to stand up and fight. If husbands had of appreicated their wives hard work, women would not have felt the need to be treated with respect and fight for it.

Men, you can try and blame women all you want, but you guys made this happen in the first place. So there! :dancing:
 
Serap said:
We are a partnership, not a dictatorship like marriages of the past.
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I think this is as false as anything else the media has told us. I believe that most people marry for good reasons and love their spouse very much. I think this has been true throughout history. Of course there are exceptions - there are cruel people and abusive people. But they are not the rule. And marriages have not been dictatorships in Christianity. Islam, yes.

This statement is a very biased viewpoint. I think if you really thought about it, you would realize how much it is a creation of the feminist mindset.
 
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