Study: US mothers deserve $134,121 in salary [mothers should pay money to themselves?????]

Reuters ^ | May 3, 2006 | Ellen Wulfhorst

[LaineyDee]

Wow...... if you do all that and have time to take the kids to soccer..... You're my clone! *chuckle* Actually, I don't like anyone to cook in my kitchen but me.....AND I have a particular way I like to clean house......so the workaholic thing is my own fault. :)

[WV Mountain Mama]

The only reason the men who read the article are sitting up is because their knickers got in a twist. Honestly, it sounds like some of the men deny that we do anything, and now when my hubby comes home I am going to ask for a paycheck. All I ask in return for my efforts is an ice cream cake from DQ on my birthday and anniversary. Now that my kids are old enough to pick something out, I could add one on Mother's Day too!! :)

Actually, listening to my husband describe me (OK, brag about me) to whomever is a good enough payment. Add to that three of the happiest kids around, who we have lots of fun with, is better than anything monetary I could receive.

[SoothingDave]

Not while killing them. For that, I prefer a cowgirl outfit.

You definitely need more pictures on your home page. ;-)

SD

[coladirienzi]

"They ought to be careful-- democrats might get the idea to tax this as additional income."

Strangely enough, during the Clinton administration, they kicked around the idea of taxing people on the "imputed" income they could have gotten "if" they had rented their house to someone instead of having lived in it. Fortunately, saner and more politically savvy minds prevailed.

[D Rider]

GREAT News!

Does this mean that the governments will pick up the difference, so that I can pay her salary?

[elk]

See. Marriage isn't 50-50. It's 100-100.

After reading this article and the comments, I feel like such a societal cheat:

1) For the first 116 days of the year, I produce a ton of intangibles (educated, fed, cared-for children + husband), but that goes into the family "economy" instead of to the Taxman, fed, state or local.

2) I get to skip the pleasure of trying to do two jobs: the work job and the home job, and usually, it's the home job that suffers (or at least I suffer for doing it also with competency).

3) I get to pour in healthier, cheaper, from-scratch food, values, and time into the kiddos. There's no monetary substitute.

4) Is it weird to ENJOY the company of one's children, to savor every second of the brief childhoods? As a stay-at-home mom, I expect a 3-y/o to act like one, as opposed to the workforce, where adults act like 3 y/o's without the excuse of being actually 3 years of age.

Just a thought.

[Ol' Sox]

You neglected to throw in "chief executive officer" and "psychologist" to inflate the figures.

Hmmm. I might accept Chief Operations Officer, but not CEO.

[TKDietz]

The $134k figure is no doubt high, but a good wife and mother is worth more than her weight in gold. My wife does so much. She's amazing. Every once in a while she'll go on a girl trip with friends for a break and it doesn't take but a very short time for me to be reminded as to just how hard her job is and how well she does it. I think a lot of guys have no idea just how hard their wives work. They think their wives have it easy playing with kids all day and sitting around eating bon bons, or whatever. My 69 year old father is now getting just a little taste of doing things on his own and it's driving him crazy. My mother is infirmed and he's having to take care of her. Even though she's still able to take care of his finances for the most part and see that bills are paid; even though they pay people to take care of their yard and have a maid who works four days a week, and a home health nurse coming in several days a week as well; and even though he has his employees at his office bring mom lunch and run whatever errands she needs run; and even though he eats out just about every meal or just heats up up fancy frozen meals they buy from a gourmet take out restaurant that specializes in frozen meals; he feels like the work load of taking care of the house is just too much for him. It's kind of funny. He never once took out the trash, mowed the lawn, or did any of the standard "honey do" things most men have to do. Shoot, when we were kids he'd have us take his shoes off for him when he came home from work. He never lifted a finger to do any work around the house and he always complained that mom had it easy and that all she did was spend the money he earned. Now after 49 years of marriage he's finally just starting get a tiny little taste of what it's like to run a household and he feels like he's being worked to death. Hopefully he'll gain some appreciation for her 49 years of loyal service to him.

I don't know about $134k a year, but the hard work good wives and mothers put in is certainly more valuable than a lot of us realize. I have a tremendous amount of respect for my wife. She is a tireless worker. She does so much for us. She deserves a lot more than my children and I give her. If I had $134k a year to give her for all she does I'd give it to her and feel like I was getting a bargain.

[Element187]

Prove it. Let's see some women pull down that salary doing all those tasks for someone. If I could earn that much money for doing the work described, I would change job in a heartbeat.

bingo... this story is trash... people making less than 100k a year would leave their jobs to become "housewives"

[Larry Lucido]

I look at it this way. A woman could make $134,000 if she worked all year instead of taking care of a husband and family. Instead, she trades the $134,000 a year for a husband. So, a husband is worth $134,000 a year.

[Chena]

I agree. And money can't buy a loving family, a devoted wife/mother and a devoted husband/father. I've been blessed and I don't ever forget that.

[Chena]

It looks like we have a lot of bitter, underappreciated husbands and fathers here. (Gentlemen, Mother's Day is approaching. This is just a nice little puff piece to honor mothers. Nothing sinister or scary. The truth is, what mothers AND fathers do is priceless.)

Well said, djreece. :)

[Chena]

While I don't think we (mothers and fathers) need to have accolades, it sure feels nice now and then to have someone show us how much they appreciate us. My husband didn't need flowers or awards for what he did, and neither did I. But I tried to show my love and thankfulness for all he did with hugs & kisses, and LOTS of his favorite homemade meals and deserts. As a stay-at-home mom, I also did what some call "man chores", so my husband wouldn't have to.

[sweet_diane]

I love what I do. A happy home is payment enough for me and putting a price tag on what I do certainly doesn't validate me in anyway. My Husband considers what I do priceless. :)

[WV Mountain Mama]

Trust me when I say that wiping someone's a$$ is something I will only do for my children, even for $100K/year. Chill out, I don't think any house wife is going to hit her hubby up for a salary, if only for the reason that he is going to insist on "overtime" bonus. ;)

[Chena]

I don't know about $134k a year, but the hard work good wives and mothers put in is certainly more valuable than a lot of us realize. I have a tremendous amount of respect for my wife. She is a tireless worker. She does so much for us. She deserves a lot more than my children and I give her. If I had $134k a year to give her for all she does I'd give it to her and feel like I was getting a bargain.

Your wife is blessed to have a husband like you. I'm sure it'd make her day to know what you wrote about her today. From what you wrote, it's obvious that she is an awesome wife and mother. :)

[airborne]

What a sexist thing to say!

What about us stay at home dads??

Oh, and, where's my check?;^)

[JillValentine]

What, you don't like what's available? ;-)

[delacoert]

How much do fathers deserve in salary?

[delacoert]

Next, the IRS will be wanting to tax this "income"...

Hmm... Can housewives/mothers claim this amount as unreimbursed job expenses?