Saturday, July 31, 2010
Get To Work
This article really made me mad, what the heck!? This woman places so much importance on educated women working and pretty much frowns on them choosing to be a stay at home mom, key word here, CHOICE”! They chose it. Did she ever think that some women might get educated and work to save money for a family? Her comment about being smart and not getting an education in art was awful, my best friend has a BSN in fine arts and she is the smartest woman I know, she is also a stay at home mom and she loves it. I was going to get a degree in fine art so I could be an art teacher but I discovered nursing and realized that was my passion. I was fully aware that I would not make a lot of money but I was prepared to accommodate to that besides I’m not interested in paying way too much for an over rated car or house anyway. The only rule I agreed with her on was the one about having another job before quitting. That is very important, especially in these economic times. I suppose she was trying to get across the importance of educated women staying in their careers but she made it sound like women who did choose to stay home made a stupid decision and I don’t think that’s a bad decision at all (same for men who choose to stay home). If the family can afford it then I see nothing wrong with having a parent home I honestly believe it is the best thing for the children if the family can work it out. There are plenty of educated men and women who choose to be stay at home parents and maybe their education will help then raise their children better, most careers require a person to have the ability to think critically and I can promise you that parents will have to be able to do the same. I also agree that men and women should split the house work, but it doesn’t have to be a competition it should just be something a couple is willing to do. I know I’m not going to marry some jerk that I am fully aware refuses to do any house work they suddenly get mad that he doesn’t. Couples need to discuss this stuff BEFORE they get married so they don’t go into the marriage blind. A career and family are both important, obviously you need money to support your family but if one person can manage to provide that money that it makes more sense for someone to stay home with the kids (if that’s what they want to do). This article had me so made by the time I finished reading it and I don’t even want to be a stay at home mom, but I do believe that the women who choose to stay home should be respected and not put down for that decision.
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She irritated me also. It so easy to respond to this that I didn't even need to try to get over the 400 word mark. there is so much wrong with her point of view.
ReplyDeleteWhy would women want to compete with men who are detestable in the first place? It's like fighting Hitler by exterminating more people (I'd vote for Inuits) than he can. That kind of equality doesn't make much sense.
Staying at home is generally the easier job. It's true. Sorry. It may not be the more satisfying, but I'd wager that it is most of the time. If my partner wants me to stay at home with the kids, I've got no problem with that.
John, you make me laugh, but I can't believe you went there. ;)
ReplyDeleteI don't know if I agree with you that staying at home would be the easier job. Both my husband and I work, so I can't tell you from personal experience. I know my husband would stay at home if he had the option. But it really depends on the individual family. I think you have to look at factors like how many kids there are, if there are any with special needs or other health problems, what age the kids are, etc. My sister-in-law has three kids, and there is no way I would give up my job to stay at home with them, even if you paid me! Even sometimes with my son - and don't get me wrong, he's an awesome baby - I'm a little relieved to get back to the predicitability, relative calm, and adult conversations of work on Monday morning. That sounds terrible, but it's true. I think a lot of it, though, is because I'm just not used to being around him all the time. If I were, I might feel differently.
I agree, Linda Hirshman is really out of left field with some of the stuff she is expounding upon in her article. I know that a substantial majority of high-income woman earn that income as a result of their education in fine arts. Examples would be studio and orchestral symphonies, about half of which are comprised of woman, all of which are paid very impressive and substantial salaries, and none of which would ever be able to work in that capacity without a degree in fine arts.
ReplyDeleteI also agreed with her about not quitting a job before getting another.
ReplyDeleteShe upset me with the put down of being a stay at home-mom(as a lower class citizen), and her point of having only one child.
My question is; "Is she a happy mother?" I understand the economics of the day and I also understand the cost of child care, or a nanny/housekeeper. Some of those working/career mother's have guilt about not having time for their children.