Am I the only one annoyed when this story comes out every year?

hiccups · Future Queen in Zion

Am I the only one annoyed when this story comes out every year?

arbilad · Head Chef

I don't like it, but for logical reasons. They're counting the entire salary of each class of worker (if we're talking about the same article; I haven't clicked on yours yet). True, moms do work from each of those categories. But they don't do 40 hours of work from each of those categories. There aren't that many hours in the week.
Also, wouldn't SAHMs feel underpaid and underappreciated if this were true?

hiccups · Future Queen in Zion

Yeah, society doesn't value that work I do. I'm gonna sulk now.

I'm just not in it for what society thinks. So they can keep their projected salary. I do think it could be harmful if someone thinks they should be getting paid for what they do. My reward is in my children and the next life.

Cocobeem · Keeper of the Holy Grail

It might be good to know if you can "afford" to have the mom stay-at-home.... or if she's really costing the family more by working - I saw a show on that once. The working moms were like

(The family would've been better off financially had they actually stayed home.)

hiccups · Future Queen in Zion

Yep. I had a job once where we just broke even after childcare. Being that my bosses (yeah, there were as many bosses as employees,) were um, nuts, that job was very short-lived. Even now, when I consider getting a job, I look at the cost in terms of time away from my family as well as financial costs and benefits.

Valhalla · Profuse Pontificator

I think those studies are just plain dumb for many reasons, such as how it is figured, the basis for the pay rates, the relational value for what is done, and such. I also think it cheapens the real point of a mom staying at home. I think it also assumes that men are not doing anything besides working outside the home.

I wonder what I would make for unpaid overtime at work, throw in the 2.5 hour roundtrip commute, the plumbing work at home when things aren't working, being a mechanic on the cars, heavy lifting and moving, caring for the kids (playing with them when I get home or going on campouts), home repairs, cooking, etc, there is something to do always.

The point is, a marriage is supposed to be a partnership, not trying to get one up on the other or be a martyr. I think these studies or whatever or just feminist BS and the work of those who seek to attack the family. Family is supposed the sum is greater than the whole of its parts.

bokbadok · Senior Bucketkeeper

arbilad wrote:

I don't like it, but for logical reasons. They're counting the entire salary of each class of worker (if we're talking about the same article; I haven't clicked on yours yet). True, moms do work from each of those categories. But they don't do 40 hours of work from each of those categories. There aren't that many hours in the week.
Also, wouldn't SAHMs feel underpaid and underappreciated if this were true?

From another article, which actually computed a higher salary than hic's did:

"For the Salary.com survey, more than 40,000 moms quantified their hours per job description; Salary.com benchmarked the median salaries for each job to the national median salary for each position as reported by employers.

The final salary was calculated by weighting the salaries and hours worked in each role."

I think it's believable, and I don't have a problem with articles like this. Seems to me it gives a little nod to the work SAHM's do, which is out of the ordinary for our culture.

bokbadok · Senior Bucketkeeper

Valhalla wrote:

I think those studies are just plain dumb for many reasons, such as how it is figured, the basis for the pay rates, the relational value for what is done, and such. I also think it cheapens the real point of a mom staying at home. I think it also assumes that men are not doing anything besides working outside the home.

I wonder what I would make for unpaid overtime at work, throw in the 2.5 hour roundtrip commute, the plumbing work at home when things aren't working, being a mechanic on the cars, heavy lifting and moving, caring for the kids (playing with them when I get home or going on campouts), home repairs, cooking, etc, there is something to do always.

The point is, a marriage is supposed to be a partnership, not trying to get one up on the other or be a martyr. I think these studies or whatever or just feminist BS and the work of those who seek to attack the family. Family is supposed the sum is greater than the whole of its parts.

Whatsa matter, Val? Feeling threatened somehow?

It's easy to figure how much you save by doing yardwork and plumbing. Just because an study takes a stab at quantifying what a SAHM does, it doesn't diminish what you do. Does it?

Oh, and I don't think you get credit for driving 2.5 hours roundtrip. Nice try, though.

Cocobeem · Keeper of the Holy Grail

It bugs me when Dads call watching their own kids "babysitting." (No one's done that, it just bugs me.)

Valhalla · Profuse Pontificator

Nope, not threatened, it's bull, just calling it what it is. I find it pure nonsense. Mine was simply musings. Ever spend 2.5 hours a day every day in rush hour traffic, say for the next 30 years? So, yea, I think I get credit for 12-13 hours a week sitting in traffic, deal with idiots, accidents, and what not. For 50 weeks a year, that comes out to 625 hours.

coco, never been bugged by that, but that is kind of silly. A real pet peeve of my wife's especially for homemaking when I am being asked to watch someone else's kids when dad is most likely available, usually is, but the kids get brought anyway.

hiccups · Future Queen in Zion

My 2 year old gets it. He was having a lively pretend conversation on the phone today while sitting on my lap. The "other" person apparently asked something and his response was, "Mom's working."

Cocobeem · Keeper of the Holy Grail

Being volunteered to babysit.

Homemaking.

OH!

Just joking, people!

bokbadok · Senior Bucketkeeper

Nope, not threatened, it's bull, just calling it what it is. I find it pure nonsense. Mine was simply musings. Ever spend 2.5 hours a day every day in rush hour traffic, say for the next 30 years? So, yea, I think I get credit for 12-13 hours a week sitting in traffic, deal with idiots, accidents, and what not. For 50 weeks a year, that comes out to 625 hours.
And this is just whining. Just calling it what it is.

Every adult gets to do stuff they'd rather not. My point was that there's no equivalent job to compare to a commute. Maybe a taxi-cab driver... but he don't get paid if he's driving around alone. So what job would you equate it to? Additionally, you choose where you live - the commute is something you could do something about, if you chose to. It's not technically a part of your job.

Anyway - my greater point is that I don't think the studies are "bull". I don't think they're worth a whole lot - parents do a lot of the undesireable work in this world and don't get paid for it. That's not news. It's just kinda interesting. Nothing to get upset about.