Staying at home a choice??

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-29-2007
Staying at home a choice??
2204
Sun, 04-29-2007 - 6:46am

The author of this article thinks most mothers go to work because they want to, not because they have to.

"Most parents from two-parent families today do have a choice when it comes to parental care. They can try and talk themselves into believing they don't, but it really boils down to priorities."

http://backofthebook.ca/living/2007/03/part-time-ophanages-part-2-job-only.html

Does anyone (other than her) really believe this? I don't know of anyone among my friends who works who wouldn't rather be staying at home with their children. But they don't have the choice!

Pages

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-27-2005
Tue, 05-08-2007 - 9:38pm
It really makes me laugh to hear things like this because you really only hear that I have cc debt. You do not see the whole picture that my dh and I have excellent credit. We will never have to worry about getting a loan for anything. We have alot of equity in our home. We pay our bills on time every month, NEVER was late on anything. I broke down my budget before and I don't think I am off mark with anything.
Car maintenance has always been in our budget (my sil had NO clue what that was and I am sure she is not the only one) but when you start getting large bills ($1,500 at one time), that turns into an emergency.
iVillage Member
Registered: 04-27-2005
Tue, 05-08-2007 - 9:39pm
I am speaking more of very close friends. People you see on a regular basis and do things with all the time. I do not know things about people I work with or casual friends either.
iVillage Member
Registered: 04-27-2005
Tue, 05-08-2007 - 9:41pm
There is. Utilities are a monthly bill, car repairs are not.
iVillage Member
Registered: 04-27-2005
Tue, 05-08-2007 - 10:01pm
Not to butt in but where I live you have to have 2 incomes for a 1,000-1,500 sq. ft. home!! It is insane. These homes go for $400,000 and up.
iVillage Member
Registered: 04-27-2005
Tue, 05-08-2007 - 10:10pm

The "crime" I see will not entice anyone to come out and check up on the situation. They know this is what goes on and the state can not afford for someone to come out and check out everyone on wic to see if they are living with someone who makes enough to support them.
I complain because I go to work everyday while people like this sponge off the system for years and years. They complain it is "hard" to go to wic and feel embarassed. I have no sympathy. Try going to work fulltime, having a bad day and then come home to your "2nd" fulltime job. I would sit and talk to a wic person anyday then get reamed out at work.

The op was talking about disability. That WILL catch up with them because they have people out there all the time trying to bust people AND they do.

iVillage Member
Registered: 01-10-2007
Tue, 05-08-2007 - 10:15pm

That's an unfair statement. YOu don't have to have 2 incomes, you just have to have an income of X amount. Some people have that on one income. Some people only make that on tow.

The whole "number of incomes" thing is really often not the point. It isn't that "it requires two incomes" etc .. it's that "it requires X dollars".

It's not like you go into a bank to apply for a loan and they say "oops. We can't let you buy this house, you only have one income." They say "We can't let you buy this house. Your income is only $X."

iVillage Member
Registered: 01-10-2007
Tue, 05-08-2007 - 10:19pm

Your post makes no sense.

You talk about them working with you, but then say they sponge off the system. Ummm, they're working right? Which means they're not sponging off the system. You say they should try working, having a bad day and then going home to their "home" work. Well, gee, they are working - if they work with you right? And they have kids and a hosue so they go to that "second" job just like you do. And gee, don't you think they ahve a bad day sometimes too?

Or does WIC relieve them of ALL that pressure?

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-27-2005
Tue, 05-08-2007 - 10:20pm
Thank you. Sometimes on this board I feel like I am the only person in the world the way I am!
I have a gf at work who has a HUGE family. They all know EVERYTHING about each other's lives. They don't hold anything back. There are many people who have friends who they treat like family too and confide in all the time.
I didn't think this was too out of the ordinary.
iVillage Member
Registered: 04-27-2005
Tue, 05-08-2007 - 10:24pm
My neighborhood is like this too. Alot of the kids my age moved away but their parents are still living there.
We know families for almost 30 years so, yes, we know their criminal background too. Even the new people, we are very close to. We are not shy neighbors. If you are going to be living close to someone for many years, you are involved in their lives and treat each other like family.
iVillage Member
Registered: 07-26-2006
Tue, 05-08-2007 - 10:25pm
I dont think it is uncommon. Geez where I live you can see what anyone paid for their house by looking it up on the real estate tax website. My friends dont care if I know what they make and my DH salary is public information. Discussing money isnt a big deal to me.

Pages