WOH/Kids/Feminism: WDYT?
Find a Conversation
| 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

Pages
I didnt say owning horses makes one a princess. Pnj stated that the woman in the article was basically a self-proclaimed princess. The woman also admitted in the article that they were living beyond their means prior to the death of her dh.
I lived in a 1200 sq ft house with 2 kids, dh and several animals for almost 5 years. There is nothing *rose colored* about my views. I dont think that 1200 sq ft is that small.
Probably the reason she couldnt *afford* to pay off the mortgage and live on 350k insurance, + 37k in income, + social security, etc is because they were poor money managers and poor planners. Again, has nothing to do with her work status. Had they been living within their means to begin with, it would have most likely been more of a possibility for her to keep their house.
Dj
"Now when I need help, I look in the mirror" ~Kanye West~
No, you're wrong. It doesn't make sense to a lot of people and their situations. You make it sound like it's so easy to just pick up and move. In areas with lower COL there is also often fewer jobs. And the jobs usually pay less as well.
I realize that many people don't live near family, but many still do. Like most of the people I'm close to. I like the fact that my kids have extremely close relationships with their grandparents and extended family, even though Grandma doesn't "live down the street." I don't know too many people who are going to give up the familiarity and comfort of an area they're familiar with along with family ties just to have a lower COL and a SAHP.
I'm sure you know *lots* of people who would up and move just to have a SAHP. Frankly I don't understand that. Obviously our experiences are very different.
Not even comparable. Why? Because with almost 40,000 she can create a decent life for herself and two children *somewhere. Living well below the poverty level, one can't do that *anywhere* to my knowledge.
Wytchy
Huh?
Do you mean that there isn't anywhere that 40K would put you below the poverty level?
Choose your friends by their character and your socks by their color. Choosing your socks by their character makes no sense and choosing your friends by their color is unthinkable.
Pages