Unique contributions to society
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| Thu, 10-19-2006 - 4:12pm |
In another thread, the "unique" contributions of SAHM's were alluded to but it wasn't stated what they are. Let's play a game and find out what they are. First, pretend that as of tomorrow, all moms SAH and detail what will be missing from society then pretend that all moms go to work and detail what will be missing from society. I'm really curious as to what people think a world without SAHM's orWOHM's would look like.
If all the moms who SAH went to work then the library would move story hour to the evening and summer vacation bible school would be held in the evenings so that all kids can attend and not just the kids of SAHM's. Banks would likely shift their hours to later in the day and you'd see more 24 hour stores. I think there would be more home cooking style restaurants too. I think day care centers would improve because of increased demand.
If all moms who WOH suddenly SAH, you'd see fewer service industries around because moms could do things themselves instead of paying for them. The nursing shortage would be more of a shortage. We'd probably have a shortage of teachers too. There'd be fewer government services because there'd be less tax dollars to pay for them. I can't think of anything else right now.

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Of course I see the difference. Don't you?
I didn't want my kids in group care when they were small because I didn't see any benefit to it. At that age, I prefer more individual attention from a single caregiver who's going to be there in the long run.
At my DD daycare/preschool it is very structured, they are expected to behave and expected to learn. Why would you think differently?
In fact we went to a preschool aged story time at the local library one friday and my DD was very annoyed because the kids attending did not know how to "criss cross applesauce" and stay still and the moms had to keep chasing 3 and 4 year olds who were up and down and all over the place. She told me she wanted to go do story time at school because she could hear the story.
I didn't accuse you of saying that sahms don't make a contribution. I disagreed with your statement that wohms are doing something "more" than sahms in terms of social contribution simply by working. ("but by definition, wohps pretty much necessarily not only care for their children but also make another social contribution, unless their work is something that provides zero benefit to society--say, that of a hitwoman, paid under the table.")
And I do think that saying wohms are doing "more" than sahms in terms of their social contribution is a value judgment. The other poster said that even the trash collector was making a unique contribution to society--but the sahm wasn't. Sorry, I think that's a value judgment too.
Nobody's getting wild here but you.
Sabina
Oh, life is a glorious cycle of song,
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