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.

Pages

iVillage Member
Registered: 07-28-2006
Mon, 10-23-2006 - 5:46pm


<>

If I knew you IRL I'd give you a gold star.

Sorry, I reserve my respect for police officers, firefighters, young men choosing to fight in Iraq, single moms holding it all together, you know, people like that.

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-27-2000
Mon, 10-23-2006 - 5:49pm

Desire? Perhaps they had no choice. Maybe their spouse has an equally demanding job, they had a problem with backup daycare and one of them HAD to stay home.

Should I have switched OBs when my appt was rescheduled b/c both of the OBs in my practice were unexpectedly busy delivering babies at the same exact time? Sure, my time is valuable - why should the one delivering the baby take precedence over the value of my time?

THings happen in life and I just can't imagine, personally, get pissed b/c my doctor had an emergency that he needed to take care of. Now, he if canceled my appt b/c he had been invited out to play golf? That would be a different story.

iVillage Member
Registered: 06-30-2006
Mon, 10-23-2006 - 5:50pm
Same goes for doing things for free.

Sabina

Oh, life is a glorious cycle of song,

iVillage Member
Registered: 06-30-2004
Mon, 10-23-2006 - 6:04pm

Not in my marriage and not in any of the marriages of those in my circle of friends or acquaintances.

Maybe that is why very few of the many people I know are divorced? They never look at their marriage as a "power struggle" but as a relationship between equals.

iVillage Member
Registered: 09-14-2006
Mon, 10-23-2006 - 6:04pm
If money was the only way to model work ethic... then we couldn't properly teach children that chores and homework were things to that should be done properly and on time... because there was no monetary reward... unless you do reward that with money I suppose. Ive heard of parents paying their children for certain grade letters.
iVillage Member
Registered: 06-30-2004
Mon, 10-23-2006 - 6:05pm
Maybe in your little corner of the world and KB's little corner of the world, but that doesn't mean it is everywhere.
iVillage Member
Registered: 06-30-2004
Mon, 10-23-2006 - 6:07pm
Not CM, but I can answer for my parents - that is not the way it worked in my parents marriage at all.
iVillage Member
Registered: 06-30-2004
Mon, 10-23-2006 - 6:11pm
Just because that was a problem that you had in your marriage doesn't make it true for others. I was a SAHM for 10 years and I had just as much of a say in our spending as DH.
iVillage Member
Registered: 06-30-2004
Mon, 10-23-2006 - 6:18pm
Still doesn't make you a good person - just makes you a working person. IMO, only good people are worthy of respect. Work status doesn't factor in the equation at all.
iVillage Member
Registered: 06-30-2004
Mon, 10-23-2006 - 6:20pm

You are going to boil marriage down to money and chores? To quote you "Holy Cow". Marriage is much more than who makes what or who cleans what.

What would you do if your DH was injured and would not be able to work or do any kind of chores? All of a sudden he would be less important that you in your marriage? Sad.

Pages