Unique contributions to society

iVillage Member
Registered: 01-06-2006
Unique contributions to society
1504
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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iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Mon, 10-23-2006 - 1:38pm

So to you, if someone has a leisurely life, it means they do nothing?

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iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Mon, 10-23-2006 - 1:39pm
Oh.

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Avatar for taylormomma
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-23-2003
Mon, 10-23-2006 - 1:40pm
That's interesting. Work status has never had an impact on "spending decisions" in our marriage.
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Mon, 10-23-2006 - 1:41pm
I wouldn't continue to go to a physician who cancelled a day of appointments to be home with a sick child (I'm talking routine childhood illness here, not cancer or something unusual), if I knew that was the reason.

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iVillage Member
Registered: 09-14-2006
Mon, 10-23-2006 - 1:42pm

Agree, its about delegation...

even when my husband and I were living together before we were married we sat down and figured out how to make it fair. We added up bills and rent and found out that the bills added up to almost what our rent was... so one of us paid rent, the other the phone, heat, car/gas, etc and most of the food. the rest of the costs that came up, that affected both of us, were paid by the person who had more in their account at the time... If we wanted to buy something for ourselves, it came out of our own money. We shared cooking, and both cleaned the house top to bottom on weekends.

Just because one spouse does more housework, doesn't mean that it's a one sided marriage... the other spouse could be doing the outdoor work, like in your example.

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Mon, 10-23-2006 - 1:43pm
Because by not working, I caused a precipitous drop in the household income and didn't feel right about spending $$$$.

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iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Mon, 10-23-2006 - 1:44pm
DH doesn't know anything about anything household or child related, so that leaves me with a whole lotta power.

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iVillage Member
Registered: 10-31-2005
Mon, 10-23-2006 - 1:55pm

Sigh. Post 268.

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-27-2003
Mon, 10-23-2006 - 1:56pm
But how would you know the reason for the cancellation? DD's dentist's secretary recently called to reschedule dd's dental appointment. No explanation was given nor did I ask why the reschedule was needed because it's none of my business.
iVillage Member
Registered: 09-04-1997
Mon, 10-23-2006 - 1:57pm
Would you know? In most practices, you get a call from a receptionist saying something like, "an emergency has arisen and Dr. R will not be seeing patients today. We have rescheduled you with Dr. X. If that isn't acceptable, please call to make another appointment."

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