Women: Work or Home?

[jmcrae]

I have never done this poll thing before, so if it doesn’t work right, I apologize. Anyways, I was reading another thread and the issue of stay at home mom vs working mom came up. So, I ask, should women stay home to take care of home and children or should they work? Are there times when one or the other must be done or is it merely up to the woman? Does it even matter?

I believe that, due to the uncertainties of the world, a woman should have an independent source of income.

This doesn’t necessarily mean that she always needs to have a job, but if not, then she should have money invested somewhere that is giving her a good return, or run a small business of some kind out of her home on a part-time basis, (Amway, Avon, or even just baking birthday cakes for the neighborhood, etc.) so that, if something should happen to her husband, she has a fall-back position where she can still pay the essential bills to keep a roof over her head until she gets herself sorted out with something that can replace his income.

Should women go out to work at a 9-5 job? That depends on circumstances - if she has small children, this is going to be very, very stressful for both her and the children, and probably also for her husband. She should look at factors such as the cost of daycare and other support for the children, to see how much she is actually bringing in, that she couldn’t bring in some other way, with less stress. For example, if she is bringing in $1600.00 a month, but $1400.00 of that is going out for day care, box lunches for the children and herself, office wardrobe, transportation, and after-school care, then she should consider what she can do to get the same $200.00/month that she clears in an easier and less stressful way.

But if a woman has no children and there are no other obligations at home, such that she would be keeping all or most of the $1600.00, then certainly, a 9-5 job is a good way to build up a nest egg that she can then invest, and receive an investment income later on when the parents get old, or when children come along, or when other home obligations come up.

 

[Em_in_FL]

…so that, if something should happen to her husband, she has a fall-back position where she can still pay the essential bills to keep a roof over her head until she gets herself sorted out with something that can replace his income.

This is another great point to bring up…

In today’s day and age people are expected to live long and healthy lives…
But they surely didn’t in the past!
My grandmother had 7 children, and my grandfather died of lupus when the youngest was under 2 years old! They were so poor my grandmother had to send the boys away to military school because she couldn’t provide for them alone without working.
God bless her!!!

 

[THutch04]

Personally my mom’s always worked. She worked her schedule around my dad’s schedule when my sister and I were younger, so that somebody would always be home with us. None of us were ever in daycare. She works 4 jbs now, my dad works 2, and they still manage to spend time with us. Even with that much working, it’s still barely enough to make ends meet; there really isn’t much of an option for one parent to not work.

I think it can work out well both ways. I never felt like I was neglected; actually, because of how some things turned out, I’ve been grateful for those times when neither parent was in the house. I just see the needs of every family as being different, and what works for one family might not work for another.

I do have a question though. I know there are at least a couple of SAHM’s who have college degrees. May I ask how you were able to handle the financial aspect of it? At least where I go to school, education is expensive, and I know I’m probably not the only person looking at thousands of dollars in loans when it’s finished. Did that have any impact on your decision to stay home/work?