Is there a stigma to being a stay at home mom?

1. 91

   peeplesposted 12 years ago

   Is there a stigma to being a stay at home mom?
   
   Heard some of this on talk radio (bad for my health I know but I'm addicted) yesterday. Does being a stay at home mom imply to others that you are somehow less intellectual than a working mother? If so why?

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2. 0

   Old Empresarioposted 12 years ago

   My wife stays at home and she's brilliant. There are plenty of stay at home dads out there as well. Men never seem to feel a sense of inferiority about this because they were not oppressed for 10,000 years.in our traditionally paternalistic world. Men have a knack for finding hobbies when they are bored at home and I think they make very good parents. I also think women make better employees than men. To answer your question, I think it is a sign of financial success these days to have a single-income household. Unfortunately women are not paid for the work of raising children. Idleness at home is the breeding ground for intellectual thought. People who work, work, work all the time may develop strong social skills, but they lack intellectualism. There is a way to achieve both through networking with other stay-at-home moms and dads to form social groups. It's a tough subject altogether. I know moms who stay at home are often miserable, but I don't know what to do about it. I know a lot of moms who, in the search for sanity, begin ignoring the social needs of their young children. In those cases, I think it makes sense to work and put the kids in daycare. Daycares today are very good at raising children. They are expensive and much of your extra household income will go toward daycare. But the efficiency problems around the house may be solved as you will be satisfied by working and the kids will receive the attention and learning they need. By the time they start kindergarten, they will usually be at the top of the class already.

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3. 60

   MickSposted 12 years ago

   No, home management is probably the most important job there is.  The powers that be imply the negative aspects of being a mum and staying home looking after your children because they want to control everyone, staying at home allows you to think and see through them, and it gives children a loving home environment.

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4. 67

   RandomThoughts...posted 12 years ago

   In my opinion, yes there is a stigma. I am not sure it is so much that it is thought stay at home moms are less intellectual, but perhaps not motivated enough to do more than be a mom. Because we all know being a mom is so darn easy and unimportant in the scheme of things. The child commodity just doesn't make an immediate profit, therefore just not worth the investment. Very sad state of affairs we having been striving for in the U.S...perhaps in many countries now.
   I remember growing up and it was unusual where I lived for a woman to do anything but be a mom. Now it is unusual for a woman to just be a mom. I don't think in this day and age a majority of people can afford to only have a one income household. They have succeeded in making us feel thankful if we have a minimum wage job or are holding down more than one.
   Thanks for the question...it is a good one to look at.

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5. 0

   jonnycomelatelyposted 12 years ago

   Where does that need for more and more income arise?  Does it come from all the expensive items purchased, usually on the Credit Card?  So that one income for the household does not make ends meet?  Could you make do with less material items, yet find more time for the human business of being a family?
   
   My Mum never went "out" to work, she was always at home when we arrived back from school, with a hug, a welcome, a meal ready, the laundry done or drying over the stove, a caring touch if one of us had fallen down and scraped a knee.  Of inestimable value, way beyond the Bank Balance.

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6. 59

   feenixposted 12 years ago

   A number of people believe that there is a stigma to being a stay at home mom.
   
   However, in my opinion, stay at home moms who are doing a good job of it are the most important people in the world.

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7. 60

   nightwork4posted 12 years ago

   personally i don't care what people think about such things. my wife is a stay at home mom and she is awesome at it. she is busy all the time and now that we have a new baby she is even more busy. she is smart, funny and classy but we wanted our kids to have a mom at home so she isn't going to work until the baby is a few years old at least.

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8. 67

   Becky Bruceposted 12 years ago

   I wouldn't consider it stigmatized. But it is a privileged position to occupy, not all women are financially fortunate enough not to work. SInce people with more money are likely to be educated, stay-at-home mom's are potentially more educated than many of their working counter-parts.
   
   For educated working women, the way of the world has changed and they are taking advantage of this by seeking powerful employment opportunities. Some people feel that women who stay home are replicating the age-old stereotypes. I believe it should be a choice for all women to decide what feels best in her heart, to work or stay home. Unfortunately the choice only remains available to some.

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9. 78

   Express10posted 12 years ago

   In some circles there is and I think that stigma is a cruel MISTAKE unless the person staying at home literally does nothing. Most stay at home moms and dads do a LOT of things that many people avoid. However, I do know of two ladies that stay at home, their kids go to school, hubby  goes to work, and they do nothing. No cleaning, cooking, running errands, home repairs, etc.
   
   Hubbies come home to filthy homes, screaming kids, and they have to clean up, fix dinner, run errands, etc. The men are not happy but live with the stress of it. Non-contributors should have some kind of shame for doing nothing with their lives and not contributing to the household. But, there should be no stigma attached to stay at home moms and dads.

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