Which woman makes more of a contribution to society, and how?

Question

Is it the stay-at-home mother who raises her child to be an upstanding citizen and takes care of her home, or the woman who breaks the glass ceiling and manages to become a high-powered executive?

Let me clarify a bit: Housewives have been put down by feminists such as Betty Friedan, who think that a woman's value is based on a paycheck. Women are urged to "contribute to society" by going out to work...as if a housewife and mother can't do that.

It's supposed to be a thought-provoking question.

Answer 1

The stay at home mom. You can look at how society has changed for the worse in the last 20-30 years to see what kind of contribution working moms make.

Answer 2

Realistically, we must consider that this isn't an either-or proposition. Many women successfully raise their children and hold down successful careers. But, if one has to stick to the limits delineated by the question, then obviously the professional woman does make more of a contribution to society in two ways.

First, by having her own income, she is not completely dependent upon a partner to support her and her children. In the event of divorce or death, she will be able to maintain her children's standard of living. She will also be able to avoid the trauma of having to re-enter the work force at the same time that she experiences the hardship of losing her partner.

More importantly, the professional woman contributes more to the society because the income she generates benefits other women and their children either through taxes paid or more indirectly, though the marketplace by the purchases she makes. Her purchases help the economy of which we are all a part.

They stay-at-home mom only benefits her own children, not anyone elses'. Likewise, she is always only one step away from catastrophe because she is dependent upon her partner's continued support.

Answer 3

Both. I think to have one without the other is often a recipe for personal dissatisfaction. Also, the satisfaction of each job help us to be better at the other.

Most woman who spend all their energy devoted to furthering their career and climbing the corporate later often find themselves in their late childbearing years suddenly longing for a child because they feel there is something missing. That is certainly not always the case because there are some women (and men, for that matter) who have never desired to have children. There is nothing wrong with that, but I believe the majority still do.

On the other hand, a woman who starts a family young, puts aside all her abilities and talents to raise a family finds herself wondering what to do with herself when the children are grown and don't need her so much. Also, the often thankless job of being a SAHM can take a toll on a person's self esteem after a while. After the children are grown, if she decided to then enter the workforce, she will be at the bottom of the totem pole because she allowed all her talents to become rusty.

Honestly, I think I've found the best of both worlds. I work from my home office while my children are at school, am home when my children get home from school, and am able to work my home-based career around my family's needs. I can be as flexible as I need to be. If one of my children wants me to come on a field trip for school or I need to pick them up because of illness, I can just pick up and leave. I can actually work whenever I want 24 hours a day. I think mothers who are both SAHM and working mom is the next huge trend.

Answer 4

Neither. They both are important to society. Where would we be if there weren't good mothers who stayed at home? (Notice I say good because just because you are a stay at home mother doesn't mean you have the capacity or means to produce a child who is an "upstanding citizen")

Likewise, women who enter the career world bring a different viewpoint to the table. I'm sure we have made advancement in various areas because a woman was in the position to say we should look into it.

No doubt, if you removed either role from history we wouldn't be in the position we are in, this includes the good as well.

Answer 5

They both make a contribution to society.

There is no denying that homemaker is a very valuable role and the stay-at-home mom makes a huge contribution by raising her children well.

But even though the woman executive may not even think of it, her breaking the glass ceiling brings us all just a little closer to a world where a well-raised child of either gender need not feel constrained in their dreams by their gender.

Answer 6

My friend Shari raised 4 military men and 1 teacher. But of course, she "didn't work", right?

Our economy is based on having a steady stream of bright, motivated, well educated workers. This is not the 1500's, where the majority of children would go on to physical labor jobs. It takes a huge investment of time and money to produce a 21st century worker. How important are SAHMs and other caregivers? Well, pretend that tomorrow they all refused to do it anymore. The economy would crumble, we would have to recruit foreign workers, and in a broader sense, everyone would lose when tomorrows scientists, doctors, teachers, etc. suddenly vanished.

Of course, working for pay is valuable to society, too. But I've never heard anyone call that a "waste of intelligence" besides me. You can't hire a highly educated, bright, totally devoted nanny to be your replacement unless you're very rich, so I think the real waste is what the kids *aren't* getting that they could - your experience and education. Your boss is the one benefitting fom that. He's not worth it, IMHO.

Every woman has the right to choose what would benefit her family more - extra cash or her time. I trust that other women are making the best choices for their own situations. Just don't discount those of us who have chosen "time", ladies.
Both women are using their resources and education, and both are contributing to the world!

Answer 7

The career one, in my opinion. I'm in no way putting you down. In fact, I respect you greatly for taking on the job of being a stay-at-home mom. But in my opinion, a woman (with the help of her husband) can be on top and powerful and still raise good children. It will be a whole lot harder, but she can do it with help. If your question is that the career woman is hiring nannies and never seeing her kids, then I'd say it's about an equal contribution to society (although the better person would be the stay-at-home mom).

Answer 8

Are you suggesting that working mothers can't raise upstanding citizens, I'm graduating with my BS in Biology with a double minor in Chemistry and Criminal Justice. I plan go into medical law working for a hospital defending doctors against ambulance chasers. I plan on having a family as well. Guess what my mom is a working mother, and she has been the majority earner throughout my life, making at least twice as much as my dad does. She was always there when I needed her, to the point of over bearing at times, I never lacked any love from her or my dad, and she raised me to be a thinking active smart intelligent and caring human being. That should tell you who I think is a better contribution.

Answer 9

I don't think its an either/or situation.

Women who choose to stay at home and raise good, decent and contributing members of society are wonderful and necessary parts of our community. They are selfless and have followed their calling, obviously.

Women who focus their lives on their careers and break through barriers of achievement are also necessary. Perhaps these women were not meant to be mothers, or their calling was of a different kind.

We all have different strengths...the wisdom is in recognizing what it is for each of us, and focussing our energies and talents in that area. Success in both arenas - home and career - are to be commended.

Answer 10

Smile. They do it in their own way. Why do we have the need to compare? Mother's work is the hardest work in the world. It is probably the most important in the world job, because it shapes our future. Now, brave women who managed to break glass ceiling and build breathtaking careers have not done that for themselves only: they cleared the way for the women of the future. We all ( females of the world ) had to make sacrifices and limit ourselves in many ways to make life better for our children. Why not celebrate our join achievements together like any sisters would?

Answer 11

what, is it a competition??
both contribute in very different ways. perhaps that high powered exec donates part of her salary to a good cause, perhaps effecting the lives of many. perhaps the mother does raise good citizens, who grow up & are sahms themselves or exec's or doctors, etc... or either could be completely horrible people, who knows??

it's all quite relative to a person's personal values who they think makes *more* of a contribution.

i don't think one should be labelled as "better" than the other, that only creates divisiveness.

EDIT: well, i can say that, imo, a good sahm contributes a lot to society. but working also contributes to society. some women are better suited to one than the other, and would make more of a contribution doing that which they are better suited.