Stay at Home Mothers
Today's American family is very different from the typical "ideal family" that was the norm only half a century ago. Family life in the 1950s consisted of a father who left for work every morning and a loyal mother who stayed at home to tend to her house and the children. This concept is no longer the norm for American households. Families today come in all shape and sizes, and more and more moms are trading in their gardens and cooking utensils for the hustle and bustle of the American work force. "The number of employed mothers with children under age 18 were 70.1% in 1999, up from to 66.3% in 1990."11 Are working mothers better than stay-at-home mothers? For many women, the decision to stay at home or work is very frustrating. What if a mother decides to work? For some families, having mom stay at home is not feasible. A second income is necessary to make ends meet. Even if two incomes is not critical, income is not the advantage when a mother works. Health insurance, life insurance, and saving for retirement can persuade a mom to stay at
Staying at home will eliminate child care expenses. She can be accessible to her children at all times, and can be present at every school play, make Halloween costumes, or decorate for Christmas. When CNN did a special program devoted to child care, the commentator Robert Novak was delighted to discover that child care kids turns into aggressive monsters. But if she does finds an excellent day care, her children can still learn and develop in a positive manner. These expenses may include business clothes, dry cleaning, gas, expensive lattes from a coffee shop, and overly-priced burgers at a fast food restaurant. For example, recent reports conclude that "children who spend much of their first four years in day care are likely to be more aggressive and disobedient than those who stay at home with their mothers. "If you quit your job, you'll be lucky if people remember you two years down the line. Yet, mothers receive little emotional support, respect, or acknowledgement for the work of primary care taking. Whether a mother decides to stay at home or enter the work force, she will undoubtedly be stereotyped. When a mother decides to stay at home, she can cut out the hidden expenses of work. If she choose to work, she may become overwhelmed by the guilt society will put on her. The decision of staying at home or going to work is a very difficult one any modern mom. "3 A stay at home mom is assured her children are being raised in a healthy, positive environment.
Common topics in this essay:
Today's American,
MSSW PhD,
Robert Novak,
stay home,
child care,
day care,
mother decides,
mom stay home,
decides stay home,
mother decides stay,
staying home,
care giver,
mom stay,
decides stay,
well-being children,
stay-at-home mom,
|