Should Mom Stay at Home?
Martha Graves gives a good answer: “There is no doubt that kids need moms. But they also need role models in the workplace” (Graves 1998 99). One problem now is that there are far too many single moms. That means they have to earn money to nurture their child or children. Even when there is a father around, today’s cost of living is high. Saving for college education often requires a two-wage-earner family. So, there is a key problem: is there a “right” or “wrong” for mom to stay at home? Some years ago, there was a movie called “Mr. Mom” where the husband stayed at home while the wife worked. This is rare, but it happens. Why is it rare? Because there is gender bias that continues to exist. The majority of ordinary people feel that the mom is more important in the upbringing of children, especially at an early age. Even adults think of Mom first. Did you ever watch a sports event, where the camera zooms in on an athlete? He usually says “Hi, Mom” when he sees the camera is focused on
