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

[Em_in_FL]

The world is ever-evolving in a multitude of aspects. “The family” will always exist - some will be successful, some will fail. I think the recent historical movement of post WWII stay-at-home mothers to career women is just one, tiny element of change surrounded by dozens of others. Correlating this one change directly to the concept of failing families is going to be impossible.

 

[irishpatrick]

The world is ever-evolving in a multitude of aspects. “The family” will always exist - some will be successful, some will fail. I think the recent historical movement of post WWII stay-at-home mothers to career women is just one, tiny element of change surrounded by dozens of others. Correlating this one change directly to the concept of failing families is going to be impossible.

I agree, impossible to say that failing families are the result of this one thing. However, it is not at all impossible to take a general view of this development and conclude that it has either been good, bad, or no impact to our culture. Chances are you will agree that there has to have been some impact.

Are our kids more moral today, than when they were cared for directly by a parent in the home? Were we a better people or worse or no impact?

 

[irishpatrick]

If one thinks that everything about people/couples/families/individuals are going along wonderfully, then the questions I posted are not for you to answer.

However, if a person thinks that things have changed (maybe some to good and some to the bad), then it behooves us to examine why.

Think of sexual activity among the young. Think of drug use, and partying among the young. Think about the way the young dress today. Think of the things our young feel our moral behaivors today. Does the family environment have ANY role in all that?

 

[Katie966]

I agree, impossible to say that failing families are the result of this one thing. However, it is not at all impossible to take a general view of this development and conclude that it has either been good, bad, or no impact to our culture. Chances are you will agree that there has to have been some impact.

Are our kids more moral today, than when they were cared for directly by a parent in the home? Were we a better people or worse or no impact?

I think you are way over-simplifying this. The question you are asking is flawed from the outset because your question and “answer choices” are too general.

 

[irishpatrick]

I think you are way over-simplifying this. The question you are asking is flawed from the outset because your question and “answer choices” are too general.

They are generalized questions, and yes sometimes exceptions can be complicated. Yet, our culture has gone through massive changes, and one of those changes has been a huge change regarding women in the professional work force. I am not out to argue these points, I am merely asking questions.

Placing the complicated exceptions aside, is the professional and fulltime employment of nearly all women a good thing or bad thing for our nation, for our culture, for our families and for our children? It is, when we get down to it, a very simple–not complicated–series of questions. Things have either gotten better, worse, or remained the same.

 

[Em_in_FL]

I agree, impossible to say that failing families are the result of this one thing. However, it is not at all impossible to take a general view of this development and conclude that it has either been good, bad, or no impact to our culture. Chances are you will agree that there has to have been some impact.

Are our kids more moral today, than when they were cared for directly by a parent in the home? Were we a better people or worse or no impact?

Sure, I agree that society has changed and there has been some impact, but I in no way can directly correlate it to women in the work force.
SO MANY other things have changed along side… think of all the “work” women did inside their homes 100 years ago… from laundry to dishes to cleaning and cooking… modern conveniences have made staying at home a different beast… these things took MUCH more TIME… time AWAY from their husbands and children. In reality, life 100 years ago isn’t much different than having a working mother today. Like 1ke has been saying - it was a short-lived period where the majority of women had so much ‘time’ to spend with their children.

I would certainly not venture to say whether morality has improved or weakened. If parents WANT to make an impact, they WILL… regardless of their working circumstances.

 

[irishpatrick]

Sure, I agree that society has changed and there has been some impact, but I in no way can directly correlate it to women in the work force.
SO MANY other things have changed along side… think of all the “work” women did inside their homes 100 years ago… from laundry to dishes to cleaning and cooking… modern conveniences have made staying at home a different beast… these things took MUCH more TIME… time AWAY from their husbands and children. In reality, life 100 years ago isn’t much different than having a working mother today. Like 1ke has been saying - it was a short-lived period where the majority of women had so much ‘time’ to spend with their children.

I would certainly not venture to say whether morality has improved or weakened. If parents WANT to make an impact, they WILL… regardless of their working circumstances.

Thank you. That is all want, some personal answers to the questions. It is more of a searching thread, then it is an argument thread.

People can always find a reason to argue…that is NOT my intent here.

 

[irishpatrick]

Let me flip this thing.

What if men went full circle and wanted to stay home in large numbers. Say those same men were perfectly willing to live with a lesser lifestyle, and that they really just wanted to be with their kids and wanted to help form then, teach them and care for them until adulthood. Basically in this scenario the majority of men would remove themselves from fulltime employment and leave that task to the wives and women.

Would that be a good thing or bad thing for our families and children? Would it be good or bad for the nation and our culture? How would women, in general, react to such a huge change?

 

[Em_in_FL]

Thank you. That is all want, some personal answers to the questions. It is more of a searching thread, then it is an argument thread.

People can always find a reason to argue…that is NOT my intent here.

Cool.

So, I guess to DIRECTLY answer your question… I’d go with “no correlation” (sorry, I’m a statistical/math person - gotta use the right language)…
Based on this particular point:

I would certainly not venture to say whether morality has improved or weakened. If parents WANT to make an impact, they WILL… regardless of their working circumstances.

 

[irishpatrick]

Cool.

So, I guess to DIRECTLY answer your question… I’d go with “no correlation” (sorry, I’m a statistical/math person - gotta use the right language)…
Based on this particular point:

Okay–cool back atcha.

Thanks much…truly.

 

[DJgang]

It is not flawed because I never claimed it was a scientific survey. I am simply curious what people think…nothing more. In general have things (along the lines of my questions) gotten better or worse with women entering the workforce in massive numbers?

As for your point about families, I did not state that all families consist of a husband and a wife. Obviously there are exceptions to that “best case” scenario.

Welcome to CAF Family sub forum, where you better say everything perfectly…or you will be put in your place.

As for your question, personally, in my life, if I were not needed in our business so much, etc, I think that I would be a much better mother and wife. Hence, my working hurts our family.

 

[Em_in_FL]

Let me flip this thing.

What if men went full circle and wanted to stay home in large numbers. Say those same men were perfectly willing to live with a lesser lifestyle, and that they really just wanted to be with their kids and wanted to help form then, teach them and care for them until adulthood. Basically in this scenario the majority of men would remove themselves from fulltime employment and leave that task to the wives and women.

Would that be a good thing or bad thing for our families and children? Would it be good or bad for the nation and our culture? How would women, in general, react to such a huge change?

I think generalizing questions like this is ridiculous, to be honest… obviously each unique family situation is going to differ. Some may have positive impacts, others negative. If the marriage is solid and has strong communication that the pros/cons will be weighed for that individual family and a positive outcome will be reached. If the marriage is weak, and one person makes a selfish choice, then negative outcomes may occur.

 

[irishpatrick]

Welcome to CAF Family sub forum, where you better say everything perfectly…or you will be put in your place.

As for your question, personally, in my life, if I were not needed in our business so much, etc, I think that I would be a much better mother and wife. Hence, my working hurts our family.

Thanks much.

 

[irishpatrick]

I think generalizing questions like this is ridiculous, to be honest… obviously each unique family situation is going to differ. Some may have positive impacts, others negative. If the marriage is solid and has strong communication that the pros/cons will be weighed for that individual family and a positive outcome will be reached. If the marriage is weak, and one person makes a selfish choice, then negative outcomes may occur.

I don’t think generalizations are ridiculous…I think they lead to authentic clarity and the modern world has lost its ability to generalize…sadly.

In my scenario, it is basically a thought experiment to help people look at things the other way. It is important to view things from other angles, yes?

Think of it this way: women gained far more equality (which was long held back from that and sinfully so imo), and in doing so they were opened to a huge change in their personal lives. Well then, why should not the same thing be opened to men? What if men just plain reached a point where they wanted to step back and let women take the reins of the business culture, while they remain at home and care for the kids…would that be a good thing or a bad thing and why?

 

[Katie966]

They are generalized questions, and yes sometimes exceptions can be complicated. Yet, our culture has gone through massive changes, and one of those changes has been a huge change regarding women in the professional work force. I am not out to argue these points, I am merely asking questions.

Placing the complicated exceptions aside, is the professional and fulltime employment of nearly all women a good thing or bad thing for our nation, for our culture, for our families and for our children? It is, when we get down to it, a very simple–not complicated–series of questions. Things have either gotten better, worse, or remained the same.

The entire issue is more complicated than you are making it, not just the “exceptions”. A simple poll question, especially with undefined terms, reduces the issue so much that people cannot even answer it. Better for our culture how? What does culture even mean to you? You must have noticed that most people who have posted are not giving a simplistic “better or worse”, because it doesn’t make sense to.

 

[Em_in_FL]

I don’t think generalizations are ridiculous…I think they lead to authentic clarity and the mdoern world has lost its ability to generalize…sadly.

In my scenario, it is basically a thought experiment to help people look at things the other way. It is important to view things from other angles, yes?

Well there you go generalizing…
I disagree entirely… each marriage and family is unique and I think God can use each unique scenario to His glory…

 

[irishpatrick]

The entire issue is more complicated than you are making it, not just the “exceptions”. A simple poll question, especially with undefined terms, reduces the issue so much that people cannot even answer it. Better for our culture how? What does culture even mean to you? You must have noticed that most people who have posted are not giving a simplistic “better or worse”, because it doesn’t make sense to.

I think it makes sense, yet people often do not want to commit to a clear choice because then they feel like they are boxed in. I understand that fully.

Seriously, and logically, the development of changes among women working in professions and in fulltime employment has either been good or bad for our culture (as in the lives of the people of the USA in general). Have things gotten better or worse for families, for children and therefore for our nation in general (it is obvious that for indvidual women the changes have often been very good for them personally…but personal gains do not always equate to cultural or national or even moral gains).

BTW, I am not vesting myself on either direction…another words if things have gotten better, than they have gotten better. If they have gotten worse, than what should be done?

 

[irishpatrick]

Well there you go generalizing…
I disagree entirely… each marriage and family is unique and I think God can use each unique scenario to His glory…

Okie dokie.

 

[irishpatrick]

I would very much like to know the views from women about my flip-it scenario:

What if men went full circle and wanted to stay home in large numbers. Say those same men were perfectly willing to live with a lesser lifestyle, and that they really just wanted to be with their kids and wanted to help form then, teach them and care for them until adulthood. Basically in this scenario the majority of men would remove themselves from fulltime employment and leave that task to the wives and women in general.

Would that be a good thing or bad thing for our families and children? Would it be good or bad for the nation and our culture? How would women, in general, react to such a huge change?

 

[trinichiqn]

I don’t think generalizations are ridiculous…I think they lead to authentic clarity and the modern world has lost its ability to generalize…sadly.

In my scenario, it is basically a thought experiment to help people look at things the other way. It is important to view things from other angles, yes?

Think of it this way: women gained far more equality (which was long held back from that and sinfully so imo), and in doing so they were opened to a huge change in their personal lives. Well then, why should not the same thing be opened to men? What if men just plain reached a point where they wanted to step back and let women take the reins of the business culture, while they remain at home and care for the kids…would that be a good thing or a bad thing and why?

I know of men who are stay at home dads. Mom works and they take care of the kids. One lady used to work with me and the guy brought their infant daughter so they could have lunch together a few times a week. SAHD do exist and for the families that have they work. Another co-worker her husband takes the kids to school, attends all the PTAs, the teachers know him, not her and it works for their family.