Do you think that women should stay home with their children?

Question

This is a serious question...it's for a research paper...I need some opnions...so please on chavanistic answers...because they are very annoying.

I must note that in the long run...paying for childcare often uses up much of the paycheck coming into the home...

Yes I know men can stay home too...it's just that the topic is women...not men...but maybe I can expand it to "parent"

Answer 1

yes most definately

Answer 2

I think women should stay home, but it's not always an option.
I've stayed home for over 4 years now...I was put on bed rest with my first child, and have had another one since. I have 2 children, ages 4 and 1, and I cannot imagine someone else watching them day in and day out.
It costs a butt load, first off. Secondly, I don't trust anyone enough to do what I do. Thirdly, I want to be the one there for them for whatever they need.
My husband, like most men, I don't think is capable of staying home like I do. He would get bored, isn't much of a housekeeper, and can't cook too much. I just think it's better for a woman to do it, and a man occasionally when it's needed.

Answer 3

I am a stay at home mom with a 3 year old. When I got married I was looking for a man that could take care of me and would not mind me staying at home. If something happened to him could I take care of the family? Yes I could I went to nursing school. I wanted to be with my child as much as possible. I wanted to teach her to say her ABC's and numbers. I did not want her in a day care that is my parental right. I take her to dance and play groups so she around other kids. She is a very happy child. I do not feel guilty for being a stay at home mom. When I was young I knew I had to

1. have something to fall back if I was left to raise the family by myself.
2. Start my family
3. later when she is older if I want to go to work I can.
This for me was giving me options.
Sometimes it also financially is also better if the wife does not work.

1. the cost of child care
2. you are also making more money and then you will be paying more taxes.

Some women love to work and that's o.k. it is a matter of how you want to live your life

Answer 4

Not necessarily. The first task of a parent is to see to it that their children are properly cared for, and a skilled, caring non-family person can certainly do that, as can a grandparent, an aunt or uncle, an older cousin. There are instances of role reversal in which the woman works full-time whilst the father stayed home to raise the kids. My wife and I are just such an example. Her son, whom we raised this way from age 10, is now an Army MP going for staff sergeant, and her daughter, who was 8 when we wed, is now employed at NIH with her BS in biology from SUNY Fredonia.
In my first marriage, both my wife and I worked, while her mother babysat. All four of those children are doing just fine too, thank you very much. Three have college degrees and the fourth is working on his whilst working full-time as a warehouseman. Hope that's useful information for your research. Good luck: get an "A"...

Answer 5

I do think this is a serious question that is not thought out the way it should be. There is also things that should be taken into consideration. I'll give a few examples then give you my answer. This will help to determine which you would like to put into your paper.

First Example:

A single mother - This woman obviously won't be able to stay home with her child/children unless she seeks government assistance. Some woman are ok with that, some aren't. Eventually she will still have to work because you are only allowed to get government assistance for a short period of time before having to find employment. (However this can vary from state to state.)

Second Example:

Mother with Father - If the father lives in the household most likely he is doing all he can to provide income to the household. If so, the mother can choose to stay home with the child/children. If the father does not live in the home, but pays child support it may be best for the woman to work because most child support payments does not cover even half of the total bills and expenses needed to take care of a child and household.

Third Example:

Married Mother - This is the category I fall in. I have 2 children and 1 on the way. With this situation there is 2 things to consider.

* If I do not become employed will one paycheck pay all the bills and expenses
* If I become employed will most or all of my check go to daycare

With one paycheck we barely get by. Now that another baby is on the way it would be in our best interest for me to become employed. As for daycare, to avoid this my husband and I work around each other's schedule. He works 2pm to 10pm and I work 11pm to 7am. We save tons on childcare and provide our family with everything that we need and want.

So to answer your question...No, I do not think woman should stay home with their children if they can work and also avoid childcare or if they are single and need to work. Unless they want to stay home of course, but why stay home when you are perfectly able to work? Two paychecks (if you are living with a partner) gives you the option to do lots more because you have extra money every payday which takes you out of the category of only living paycheck to paycheck. When I had my second child I stayed out of work for a year. I regreted it because for one he was spoiled (not purposely) by me and two I think of how much easier (financially) it would have been if I were working.

In closing, things are getting expensive some woman need to work and an extra income in a family with both parents is the best decision to make if you can avoid childcare.

Hope that answered your question and helped you out a bit.

Answer 6

I firmly think that chldren whould at least have a one on one care provider when they're a baby. In order of *my* personal preference, a parent (mom OR dad, doesn't matter to me), a close relative (grandpa, aunt, etc.), a nanny/au pair. I just find it hard to believe that an infant is going to get the one on one interaction s/he needs if s/he is placed in a day care where there are so many other children needing the caretakers attention. Although my daughter has grown out of it (she's almost 5mos now), she spent her first two months absolutely HATING to be put down, and still LOVES one on one time, even if it's just hanging out in the sling while I do what I need to do. It's my personal preference to be with my child, though. I've never been able to understand why someone has a child intending to put them in day care - it just seems odd to have your child spend most of their waking hours during their early years in a group care setting. We decided before we got pregnant that I would stay home with our baby (My husband is a staff sergeant in the army, so he makes approximately 50,000/year, when you include pay allowances...more than enough for us to easily survive, have some small luxuries (he just bought a new jeep in May, we put half down, and I just sent the last payment in this week) and throw money into savings, investments, and a 529 account each month). I know some people *have* to work, but many people, it seems, just don't want to give up eating out three times a week, cable tv, and not going to Europe each summer.
That's just MY opinion. I'm not condemning people for their choices; I just don't understand them, as they probably don't understandhow someone with two bachelor's, a Master's in progress, a career, and whatnot can give it all up to "sit at home with a baby all day"

Answer 7

I don't think that there is a right or wrong answer to this. A woman that wants to stay home should not be made to feel that she is not contributing to the household ( stay at home mom works hard too), and a woman that works outside of the home should not be made to feel guilty about working. I have been on both sides and both are hard. I stayed home for the first 18 months because my son was a preemie (Almost 3 months early) and I refused to put him in day care. When I did return to work at first I had a job where I could take him with me (nanny). I recently returned to work full-time, but I work graveyards so my husband is home with our son. It is up to each individual person and their partner.

Answer 8

as a stay at home mom myself - yes I think that it is important that one parent is able to stay with the child. I feel that young children need a lot of attention that most won't receive at a daycare center. It just so happens that my husband makes enough for us to have this option. Its not always easy as we do watch what we purchase but we live very comfortably. I am also selfish as I realize that they are only small once and you don't get a second chance to see them roll over for the first time, pull up, take those first shaky steps that lead to walking, ect... These are all things that I want my husband or myself to see - I don't want to have to hear how it happened from a child care provider. I feel its also important as my son knows that I am always here for him and we have such a great bond with each other because of the time we have shared. He doesn't have a hard time when his dad and I are gone for a day and is left with his grandma - he knows that we love him and will return for him. He knows this because I have been able to stay at home and care for him his whole life.

Answer 9

I think that at least one parent should be available to their children at all times. By this I mean that if both parents have to be out, the child (or their caregiver or teacher) should know either where they are, or how to reach them in an emergency. If a child comes home from school, etc., and nobody's home, the child either should have been told ahead of time about it and stayed at school, gone to where the parent was, or gone to a trusted neighbor or relative. The exact plan depends upon the age of the child, of course.

Answer 10

I don't think its necessary. Both of my parents worked full-time since I was six weeks old, and it didn't have a negative affect on me. I think its great when a parent can stay home with their child, but I don't think its necessary in creating a meaningful bond, so long as the child is in a loving/nurturing environment. Also, why does it always have to be women that stay home with the children? Aren't fathers just as importnant?

Answer 11

Yes for at least the first 5 years. Then when child starts school get a job. For those that say no because they can't afford the materialistic (NICE) things without both incomes, then my opinion is they care more about those nice things than they do their child. Don't get me wrong it is tough in these days and times for a family to survive on one income, but what is more important your child or those NICE things? Learn to cut back and go with necessities only for a while.You will be so glad later.
Another reason I say yes is because the first 5 years are when a child developes 95% of their personality and would you want some stranger teaching your child their ways instead of you teaching yours?