re: Can you afford a stay at home mom?

quote:

---

Built into these questions is the presumption that whatever they would be dong at work is a higher and better calling than whatever they would be doing at home. Maybe you work at a different kind of place than the 3 businesses I have worked for, but in my experience the vast majority of people in the workforce are where they are almost entirely for the money it gives them. That doesn't sound like a higher calling to me than running a household as you see fit, raising your kids as you see fit, etc and having the energy to do those things well that comes from making those things your focus.

---

Well said.

I meant, every wife is just a premature future ex-wife

i saw this dude on the news in the gym this morning.

seems kinda like a little bitch. i bet he gets laid 4-5x a year.

ETA: my wife is a stay at home mom.

Not in Austin

Yes, my wife has put her career on hold until the kids are older. I do not want them placed in daycare.

To each thier own, it works for us.

quote:

---

Built into these questions is the presumption that whatever they would be dong at work is a higher and better calling than whatever they would be doing at home.

Maybe you work at a different kind of place than the 3 businesses I have worked for, but in my experience the vast majority of people in the workforce are where they are almost entirely for the money it gives them.

That doesn't sound like a higher calling to me than running a household as you see fit, raising your kids as you see fit, etc and having the energy to do those things well that comes from making those things your focus.

---

I don't always agree with you, but this is a really good post. This talk of high stress and mental stimulation assumes that all women are highly educated and able to get those kinds of jobs--and then lucky enough to land a great one.

The reality is that plenty of people work mundane, boring jobs in offices doing easy work. In fact, I'd imagine some people get more mental stimulation doing non-profit work and being active in their children's school lives than they would rotting away in a slow-moving office.

My mom stayed at home, and while I agree that she is slightly out of touch with things going on in the world, I don't think staying at home is necessarily what did that to her. And I admit it was awesome having your mother substitute teach at your school, having her go on every field trip, having her be room mother and attend all of our parties, etc.

Maybe he can just afford it easily.

Some people just want their wife around, surprisingly enough ;)
My mom has a job working until 1:30pm Mon-Fri that she took when we got to high school, but my dad has hated it ever since. He works shift work and can't stand for her to be at work when he is off and wants to go out of town and stuff with her. I can understand that.

quote:

---

The reality is that plenty of people work mundane, boring jobs in offices doing easy work. In fact, I'd imagine some people get more mental stimulation doing non-profit work and being active in their children's school lives than they would rotting away in a slow-moving office.

---

Mrs Cove resembles this remark.

That's all fricking stupid. People who work also do their own cleaning, shopping, etc.

quote:

---

Chef (lunch and dinner): $240 a week = $12,480 a year

---

Okay, so this type of extrapolation is a failure, and here's why. Does his wife cook at the level of a professional chef? How many meals are we talking about here? 10 different meals or are there duplications? How long did it take to prepare the 10 meals? 2 hours? Consecutively or every day? Would you pay $120 an hour for someone to cook for you?

And the husband doesn't subtract from her "salary" the services HE provides to HER and the household. Does he do any child care? Does he cook? Does he do any laundry or does she do it ALL? He provides free security service, driving, tech support, home repairs, gardening, car maintenance and repair, right? What would all of that total?

That's why I can't stand articles and little Facebook-worthy blogs like this. All it does is serve to poison people against each other. You live under the same roof? You don't keep score like that. The instant you do, you begin a long walk down the path of resentment, and there's no turning back.

Lastly... staying at home is a great thing for the kids and the family as long as the bills are being paid every month. If they aren't, then husbands, you need to get a better job. And wives? Your arse better go make some real motherfricking money. No pretend accounting.