Which is worse? A man who can't keep a job, or a woman who's a bad mother?

Question

By "bad mother" I don't mean abuse, but maybe border line neglect. No supervision, not housekeeping, no discipline.

The man is the father of three.

Answer 1

Why must they be ranked?

After all, what difference does it make which is worse? (unless you were perhaps a child who got to choose which of these two problem parents you wanted to live with).

Each is "worse"...worse than minimally acceptable levels of adult performance.

Each can improve. And each can cure their problem by trying harder.

If these two were a couple, arguing over one another's shortcomings I'd tell them that the old argument "Oh yeah...well you're worse than me!" is childish logic best reserved for 8 year olds.

If they are a couple, the adult solution would be to help one another.

She can help her husband network for job contacts. She could even do some income producing part-time or temporary work. And she can try a little harder with the house and kids.

He can devote 8 hours (or more) per day to looking for work. He can strive to be the last employee they'd ever want to lay off at the next job. And while he's unemployed, he can pitch in around the house.

I hope this is just a hypothetical and not a real case. If it is, it's truly sad for all involved - him, her and (most of all) for the kids.

Answer 2

A woman who is a bad mother is much worse than a man who can't keep a job. A man who can't keep a job probably hasn't found something he enjoys doing. But he could always keep one if he tried. On the other hand the mother could loose the respect of her children, husband, and overall loose respect for herself and her family. A mother is a person who should be the role model for her children. She should always make sure she's there for them when they need her. If she gives no discipline no telling what her children will end up doing. Her children may even blame her for not giving them discipline and even come to hate her. To cut it short, the mother has way more to loose than a man without a job.

Answer 3

A neglectful mother. He provides a bad example, but she could be a responsible parent and take on the duty of raising the children properly, rather than leave them with little or no supervision.

Answer 4

Both! A man who can't keep a job is hurting himself, but if he is a father he is hurting the children because they are in a poor position of instability in life. It is also setting a bad example. As for the mother who is neglecting her children, she is hurting the whole family.

Answer 5

A woman whos a bad mother is raising our future while a man who can't keep a job needs help. However, there is solutions to both, and although the woman is probably worse, they are both serious problems.

Answer 6

They both are negligent in that they are not setting a good example of how grown ups are supposed to be responsible for supporting their children, and making sure they are in a safe and clean environment, with boundaries of what is permissible, and what is not. I hope the old boy finds a job, and mom learns how to clean up the house and spend time with the kids, even if it's to show the kids how to clean and take responsibility for their own spaces. If Mom is working, then good the old boy should be taking over the household duties.

Answer 7

Hands down, the bad mother. If she didn't want the responsibility of a family, she shouldn't have gotten pregnant. There is absolutely no excuse for raising your children in a messy, unhealthy environment. The man who can't keep a job; what's his problem? Is it because of drugs or alcohol? Is it because he just hasn't found that special something that motivates him, or is he just lazy and unwilling to accept responsibility?

Answer 8

I assume this man is the head of household???
Both are equally bad. If they have an agreement in which she works in the home, and he works out of the home, they both need to get their a** on the ball and do what is right for the family as a whole.

Answer 9

2 totally different things. anyone can get a job that wants to work. being a bad mother is something authorities need to be aware of. no child should be neglected.

Answer 10

A bad woman is worst because that is the only essence that she must keep in her life being a good and responsible mother,whereas a man with no job is normal( I am one of those) but still he is responsible to make his own living and responsible to feed himself as well as to provide something in the table for his family!