WOH/Kids/Feminism: WDYT?
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| Tue, 02-08-2005 - 9:06am |
Okay, let's debate something else. One morning a few months ago, I was crabby to DH about having to get ready for work. DH said, "Well, if you don't want to go to work, quit!"
Later that day, I told him I was just venting, and then I told him some of the reasons I really do like WOH. One reason was something to the effect that I wanted to WOH as part of at-home feminism for our DD's. He said he had no idea what I was talking about.
I thought about it some and decided that although this is a heartfelt idea for me, it's still fuzzy. I suppose I meant that I want to show my DDs how to live independently of a man, in the sense of income, ability to make one's way in the world, and so on, even if they choose marriage & kids. My feelings of pride in my own mom, who was a WOH mom, come into it, too.
Caution: I don't mean in any way to suggest anything the least bit negative about SAH moms. That's not what this is about. Nor do I mean to suggest that anyone has to WOH to teach their kids feminist or gender neutral values. That's not what this is about, either.
Do you think there's any value in WOH as part of raising kids? Please help me clarify my thinking.
Sabina

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Try it this way- horse girl is to give up her horse as bubble bath girl is to give up her Whirlpool soaking tub and downsize to a small shower. Indoor plumbing is a matter of sanitation and hygeine. Giving up a horse doesn't have that sort of impact. And as sanitation/hygeine are matters of health, it isn't an equal difference. No- I wouldn't die, I'm just saying your comparison isn't equal.
Wytchy
I am impressed, not really questioning. How would you find someone who sells whole animals? I live in an urban area (Fort Lauderdale) and I am quite sure that I cannot look anywhere. How would one go about finding this kind of business in an urban area?
Jenna
What about property cost/taxes, house (build or mortgage) and a vehicle/upkeep to get from the rural area to civilization in order to obtain those few hundred dollars a month? Could possibly be done, that's true. Although I'd consider indoor plumbing a need as far as the sanitation/hygeine issue as that's a matter of health. Not saying that one would die without it- just that for the scope of the discussion IMO it's one thing to downsize from 110,000 to 37,000 and maintain basic standards of living and another to give up things such as indoor plumbing ;)
Wytchy
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Oh, but if we're talking of people *needing* riding lessons, ballet lessons, living near the ocean and 350,000 homes, incomes of well over 40,000 etc. then I most certainly *do* need all of those things- and more apparantly.
But as for the things you've mentioned- indoor plumbing is a matter of sanitation and hygeine, which is necessary for health. Is it necessary in order to live? No, but to live in the most basic standard that our society deems necessary, it is. (One can have their children removed from their home by childrens services without it- same goes for electricity.) As for store bought clothes, this is true- one can sew themselves, but one *does* require the materials to do so. As for a car- again correct- providing one lives near either public transportation or ones place of employment. Since an income is necessary to provide for the basic necessities.
Wytchy
LOL! What, you're assuming that we've never had in-depth conversations about this topic or something? I'm not pulling this out of my head or anything- I'm only saying what I feel as well as what he's told me. So unless you're saying that trusting ones spouse or taking them at their word is contributing to the divorce rate, I think you're wrong here.
Wytchy
Certain careers can be fairly safely considered to be able to earn a living wage and be always in enough of a demand that one isn't going to be that hard pressed to find employment. Granted, field alone isn't enough, but it certainly helps. Skills, presentation, attitude etc. all play a strong part as well. And I also didn't say that income would be the same across the board- I just said employability and living wage would be in enough of a demand to make employment a safe bet. And some careers lend themselves better to transferring skills across fields than others.
Wytchy
Did I say anything about some MS scout just seeing something he did and calling him up? No. He works with and networks with certain people. It's a "who you know" sort of thing.
Wytchy
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