WOHM's who say they have to work
Find a Conversation
WOHM's who say they have to work
| Sun, 10-29-2006 - 4:17pm |
For those of you that WOH and say you have to do it to make ends meet. Do you really do it to make ends meet or do you do it cause you want to keep up a certain lifestyle? Do you know how to live with out debt or without having to keep up with the joneses?
ETA Please excuse all my siggys. Obviously I dont know how to turn them off. I thought I did.


Pages
Backpedal all you want....your message was very clear.
You also stated that it was sad as well as odd.
PumpkinAngel
<>
See, I knew you could admit that you didn't answer my question.
<>
That wasn't my question....that what you changed my question into.
PumpkinAngel
<>
Sure it was.
PumpkinAngel
Sabina
Sabina
Oh, life is a glorious cycle of song,
I know you probably already have been razzed by some ladies. I think you make some pretty sweeping comments - like moms work to keep up a lifestyle or to keep up with the jones'. I don't think it is that simple at all - as someone who is just now completing a BA and with kids soon to enter college - I wish I had my degree earlier to have more earning potential to be in a better place financially. This is not about new cars or lifestyle it is about making dreams we had for our children come true. I don't want the boys to feel limited in their future choices. Education is key to so many issues and we value higher education highly.
Currently, my 'income' alone is just over 10K a year and it buys groceries. SO I guess I am keeping up with the lifestyle of keeping the kids fed. Living debt free would be great and is a goal for our family but realistically right now we are right in the middle of it - you have a 7 year old and a 2 year old - expenses are lower for you for kids than it is for me. For example - and I will only use my oldest son who is soon to be 17 as my example... in the past year he has had drivers ed - $450, sports $60 per sport, $75 for counselors appointments due to depression, $3500 for an additional family car for him to drive (there is NO public transportation), insurance for the car he paid for himself $800, clothes he bought for himself $300, drivers license $30, SATs and prep book $75, and a wide array of things here and there plus - size 14 shoes! Now add a 14 year old brother and an 11 year old brother and figure if you could do it without working. We can't -
I don't think it really matters either - do you ask a man if he works to maintain a certain lifestyle? If parents work to ensure a safe home for their children is that wrong? Or is it when families have nice things that it is wrong? I think it boils down to we all simply do the best we can with where we are. Money is not evil - it gives families more freedom in their lives.
Courtney
Courtney
There's a great big beautiful tomorrow shining at the end of every day... there's a great big beautiful tom
Well said!!
Now, I'm off to get my tubes tied. LOL
Mary
Mom to Kevin 11/4/03
Aren't you planning to retire when you are young enough to continue working? Say you retire at 55, are those years between 55 and 70 just "laziness" on your part?
I wouldn't work outside the home for pay unless there were big rewards in it for me. I have a passion I get paid for. Some people don't. I don't see any reason why they should work for a paycheck they don't need.
I think what you are addressing can be more localized than you think. When I worked in preschools I made similar judgements of parents but consider that most preschools make parents pay whether or not they are there a specific day impacts many people.
I know of many stay home parents who throw obnoxious parties and working parents like me who host movie and pizza nights for friends for birthday parties. I think the issue you address is more about where society is placing value currently - when Paris Hilton os considered news you know things are bad. We live in a society currently which makes people feel everything needs to be pretty and packaged to be valuable. Perfect kids, perfect house and never any blemishes. Our kids (collectively) are seeing life as a success only journey. This is not because mom and or dad worked it is because people are sold a bill of goods that if they don't maintain an image they have no value in society.
Yes - there are many people who want to keep up with the Jones' but we in our home are not one of them. But when we compare and diminish other people it simply creates the insecurity which is why so many people feel the need to stay on the hampster wheel as it is. Perhaps is we focused more on the greater community than our own homes the artificiality of our society would go away and volunteerism would go back up. Who knows - as I said - we all are just doing the best we can. Courtney
Courtney
There's a great big beautiful tomorrow shining at the end of every day... there's a great big beautiful tom
I think the way you phrased your question is very presumptuous and judgmental.
I'm divorced. I work because I have to to provide a home for my family. We like electricity, water and food, too.
Grow up woman!
Pages