another reality check
A reader writes in the comment box below:
Sigh…in this day and age, Pansy, some parents really and honestly do need two paychecks. We do. We don’t like it, but we do.
Yes, it is is true, everyone’s situation is different, and there are always situations and times when things must be done to make ends meet.
Still, when you are home during the day, and when you walk around, it is rare to meet up with other SAHM’s around. Many people in my personal experience before they ever consider sitting down and calculating “well, if we cut out the cell phone, get rid of one car, cook this from scratch” (just to make random examples) will put the kids in daycare and go off to work. Being a SAHM is not a vocation held in esteem, or considered a “real job”, so it is often overlooked as a realistic option for mothers today. Also, there is not a big differentiation of “needs” and “wants” in American culture, and many people will abandon children for “wants” without realising God provides a great deal for “needs”.
I apologise if I insulted anyone, and yes, feeding your family comes before staying home. But I still manitain, most families do not value staying home Moms. When I worked at a daycare, they charged $1200 a month per child. At that price, someone could afford to stay home. My point was not to condemn families who are doing what they can to survive, but our country’s cultural philosophy that it is utterly unrealistic for families to survive on one paycheck.