Show of Hands

If *people* spent more time with their children we might achieve those benefits. Men and/or women, working or not.

Welcome to the 19th century, where men decided what women could & couldn't do.

A woman's place is in the home. If more wives were home with their kids, and more husbands were at work supporting them, we would see significant drops in violent crime rates (particularly), and welfare, better family cohesion, and any number of other significant benefits.

The woman's place is in the home.

I would love to stay home full time with my children.

*@weave77

@Wave77 You don't even know my political affiliation. And there is a difference between being tolerant and agreeing. I will tolerate a lifestyle choice of being a stay at home parent, but that doesn't mean I fully support the idea blindly.

@itanimulli,

My goodness, someone's been drinking her hateorade- and here I thought people with liberal views were supposed to be tolerant of other's personal lifestyles...

@Susanr I see nothing wrong with being a full time parent when your kids are young but once they're in school I see no reason a mother can't be an equal in the work environment. Also why does the women have to be the full time parent? I just feel like it's an old age stigma attatched to being a mom

I guess it depends on how you define "job," then. It's pretty clear I wasn't talking about paid employment. The expression of disgust in your initial comment sounds like you don't see any value in full-time parenting, whether compensated by salary or not.

@sunsar Yeah I'm sure it's a full time job, that's why you havd to pay taxes for parenting and get an anual salary. I'm not doubting that being a parent isn't hard, but it's not a career.

I'd suggest that if you tried parenting full-time you'd see that it can be pretty much a full-time job, and it doesn't have much in the way of limited regular hours, sick time, weekends, holidays or vacation.

Stay home and have a family

No. I work a full time job instead while balancing college.

Have you done it?

I think it's disgusting how many women are okay with just allowing their husbands support them. I get it "being a mother is a full time job"

My future husband can stay at home and take care of the kids if he wants too, but I will always have a career, kids or no kids I didn't go to college for six years to not have my dream job.

um I have no spouse and id rather work anyway s

I don't understand why other people's opinions would make it difficult for you to do what you want. If that what's right for your family, why not just do it? Anybody who puts pressure on you to not do it isn't much of a friend. Or am I missing something - some factors or forces I'm not seeing?

Way to step up, thad1121. You will never regret the sacrifices you have made to be there for those kids. Well done. Gives me hope for the future of this country.

Dude, you have no clue about the crap coming from your pie-hole.I'm a stay at home dad of twin toddlers.I quit my job of 10 years@FedEx, so I did not have to put my kids in daycare.If you think sponges stay at home, your mom should have used a sponge. I like to see you take care of twin toddlers.

I'm not sure how feminist make it hard for stay at home moms some women are lucky to have a choice other women have to work because most incomes are not enough to make it these days

Stay at home now as a recent college grad looking for a job and am going INSANE!

Laurieann, I couldn't agree more.

It is funny the older people get the more likely they are to say stay home

We have no kids and don't plan on it.

I would like to stay at home, cook, clean, etc... My husband says he would love to support us alone, but we both enjoy the extra money I bring in from having a job, so I keep working. One day, we'll retire together.

And this is yet another example of why religion is so destructive to a productive society.

I'd love to stay at home with my kids but I don't want to be caught in a situation where something happens and it's just me and I have no way to support my kids I've been there the system sucks its better to be independent

Thanks to the feminist movement, it is extremely difficult to be a SAHM. There is nothing more I would love in this world than to take care of my kids and husband full time and allow him to provide for our family. I believe this is what God intended.

taximom.... I have a bloodhound, a bengal cat, 2 parakeets, a senegal parrot, a water dragon, a schneider's skink, 3 fire belly toads, a hamster (that just had 4 babies), and a 75 gallon tropical freshwater aquarium. Plus we feed the wild birds & squirrels.

JMW...what kind of pets/animals to you have?

I'm currently in school to become an rn perfect job for a mom :)

Being a stay at home mom just isn't for me. doesnt mean that i dont love my kids to death and would do anything for them.

I am currently a SAHM. I loved my job, love working. I still fill in on the weekends if they are short staffed. I am not always fulfilled by being at home but it is what is best for our child.

Nice to know that 33% of you long to be lazy sponges.

Sorry, I meant college degree not collage. I don't have a degree in crafts

If I need to, I will go back to work but only if it works for all of us. I feel fulfilled as a stay at home mom.

I know it's not for everybody but, I love staying at home with my kids and taking care of my family. I have a collage degree, have travelled the world, lived in several states and enjoyed a great career. Now is the time to enjoy my family.

I was so independent, it shocked everyone when I got married and then had kids. I didn't want to depend on anyone, or have anyone depend on me. There can be risk but great reward in trusting and being trusted in an interdependent relationship.

That's part of what makes it such a sacrifice. The repetitive, thankless, never ending aspect of the job that can be at times somewhat isolating, all factor into putting your children's needs above your own.

Hi girl - love your comment and sacrifice for your children! Only thing that gave me pause was going back to work when kids old enuf to be home alone. I was a "latch key" kid, and came home to a dark and empty house every day. I swore I'd never do that to my kids. Just food for thot. Well done!

Thanks for the suggestion, puta. I have dabbled in gardening and like it but its just not the same. Don't get me wrong, love my dad but I need to find something I can do (for myself) that I get excited about. I know I'll figure out what it is, it's just taking longer than I'd hoped.

My husband would go nuts staying home. I prefer it. We do a mix of old & new. We trade some. We buy some. My husband has made some of our wood furniture. This summer, we're going to expand the garden & I'm going to start canning.

JLove: I stay home while my husband works. We're able to have all of the extras - cable, nice vehicles, flat screen TVs, etc. We just look for deals. I call the cable company to get better prices. I go to websites for coupons. It can be done.

as small as taking our plates to the sink shows he appreciates what I do. Just as me making our $ stretch shows that I appreciate what he does. I also get upset when people think what I do is easy or think it's "old-fashioned."

I don't get upset at all. I think some get jealous that they can't stay home. Others resent having to stay home. We don't have kids, but I'm able to stay home. While I know it's my job to take care of the house & cook, I get upset when my husband starts to take for granted what I do. Just something

You can have a schedule and a sense of accomplishment if you stay home. If I didn't make a schedule for myself, I wouldn't get anything done. I feel really good at the end of the day when I've got a clean house & a good meal to feed my husband. Plus, I've taken care of all if our critters.

Married or not, I'd love to never have to work. As long as the bills are paid and my hypothetical spouse doesn't mind.

Depends on the situation. I am currently a stay at home mom and while its a very tough job, I love it. I will go back to work someday when we are done having kids and youngest is old enough to stay home by him/herself.