I like how Dr. Laura puts it -- If you're not going to do the actual work of raising children, why have them? How would your employer feel if you only put in a few hours at night and on weekends? Would you be considered a valuable employee? Would you be considered full-time, especially if you sent in a substitute to take your place? No one can take the place of a loving, dedicated mother.
Others have said, but I want to say it myself. A mother works 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. My adult children STILL call me to, as we call it, "plug in" to Mom for emotional sustenance. Mothering is hard, continuous work, for absolutely no financial remuneration.
And I LOVE IT!
Great post. My lovely wife and I have discussed this truth many times. I'm fortunate that my lovely wife has been willing to stay home and rear our children, and that my income alone has been sufficient for us to afford to do it that way.
ReplyDeleteI would not say she receives no financial renumeration, however; everything I have is also hers by mutual agreement.
My heart goes out to families who, for whatever reason, need to have both Mom and Dad working outside the home, and therefore must outsource some of the responsibility of child rearing to others. Must be a painful choice to make.
Thank you; when we were discussing marriage, my husband, then a non-member, thought it would take two incomes to support a family. I assured him that I knew how to live on one income and that when I become a mother I wanted to stay home. He agreed and has been so thankful I did so. I also have access to my husband's income, but I think you know that I meant my own private income from an outside source. I really enjoy your blog. Thanks for stopping by.
DeleteI knew what you meant. My lovely wife feels the same way. She feels the twinge of not measuring up to her working-mom friends in some ways, personal income being one of them. And the status of a "real" job is another; that image is just reinforced by the public comments of the last day or so regarding Mrs. Romney (though her husband's single income likely provided more of a cushion than mine does...). This post makes a valueable point.
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