Posted on 07/22/2008 12:49:27 PM PDT by Sopater
When it comes to the workplace, they're facing the same troubles afflicting men.
Across the country, women in their prime earning years, struggling with an unfriendly economy, are retreating from the workforce, either permanently or for long stretches.
They had piled into jobs in growing numbers since the 1960s. But that stopped happening this decade, and as the nearly seven-year-old recovery gives way to hard times, the retreat is likely to accelerate.
For the first time since the women's movement came to life, an economic recovery has come and gone, and the percentage of women at work has fallen, not risen, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports. In each of the seven previous recoveries since 1960, the recovery ended with a greater percentage of women at work than when it began.
When economists first started noticing this trend two or three years ago, many suggested that the pullback from paid employment was a matter of the women themselves deciding to stay home -- to raise children or because their husbands were doing well. But now, a different explanation is turning up in government data, in the research of a few economists and in a congressional study, to be released today, that follow the women's story through the end of 2007.
After moving into virtually every occupation, women are being afflicted on a large scale by the same troubles as men: downturns, layoffs, outsourcing, stagnant wages or the discouraging prospect of a pay cut. And they are responding as men have, by dropping out or disappearing for a while.
(Excerpt) Read more at startribune.com ...
Having children attend public school for a year drove my wife to stay home and homeschool.
This is sexist!...Why can’t I stay home and let the woman work? I have alot of things to do in the garage and back yard!
Yeah, something’s not right with this article. How many people can afford to just give up and sit home?
They'll probably get knocked up have a litter of bastards and live off welfare. Where I live that's what most women are doing instead of moving to where they can get jobs.
I’ve done transcription at home for years and really enjoy the ‘home’ aspect of it. Doesn’t pay much but it’s interesting and I can set my own schedule.
What about this?
Slumping economy: It's a guy thing
Men are losing jobs in this downturn, while women make gains
women and children hardest hit, lol
Oh that’s too funny. The MSM is at it again...making things up and contradicting itself.
This is interesting, and dovetails nicely with the “women must get jobs so the family can maintain its standard of living” meme. One thing is certain: one is true, the other is true, both are true, or neither is true.
>> Why can’t I stay home and let the woman work? I have alot of things to do in the garage and back yard!
You have to drink beer and surf in the garage??!? Put your foot down, man! It’s your house too. :-)
Let’s see...
The economy is “bad”. The price of EVERYTHING is going up at an alarming rate.
So the solution is to REMOVE one of the wage earners in the family from he work force (i.e. have them STOP earning money).
How does that work, again?
>> One thing is certain: one is true, the other is true, both are true, or neither is true.
Truth and Journalism are not related any more — not even distantly.
That’s funny. How am I supposed to know what to think if the MSM contradicts itself? The only thing that is clear is that we’re doomed of Obama doesn’t save us. (/s)
Just to decide "I quit" and walk away is a short road to hungry for the woman and the "litter of bastards" the woman somehow miraculously had all by herself.
And if ya ain't working, ya ain't movin'. First, last, deposit, moving van, gasoline. Some things are unattainable when you're on unemployment. Pretty tough to change residences.
“And choosing to live off of:”
I
1. raise 3 children
2. homeschool our children
3. take children to all appointments and activities
4. run errands that my husband can’t because he is at work
5. buy groceries and cook from scratch
6. clean house and teach children household responsibilities
7. I grind my own wheat, make my own breads, pastas, etc.
8. I pay the bills
9. I iron his dress shirts
10. I make his coffee for work
11. I make his lunch
12. etc....
I’m such a freeloader.
We did the math. She commutes 80 miles/day. Even with her paid-for, 27 MPG vehicle, the fuel and insurance is expensive.
She's considering taking a job working from home. She'll take a pay cut, but the reduced expenses will almost balance it out.
We don't have kids, but I imagine that those who do would see a net gain by reducing child care expenses.
I do.
Could be worse if you were a muslim.
What many couples discover is that, with two workers, the added expenses for commuting, eating out, laundry, etc, cancel out the second salary. In which case it makes sense for one to stay home and handle housework full time, while the other puts in some overtime to make up for the reduced income (in exchange for not having to do housework)
I’m assuming it wasn’t the economy that “drove” you to your decision.
Yeah, you have a lot of things to do, but would they ever get done? ;)
My female friend was telling me how she’ll have to cut down on her daily shopping trips now. Awwww!
I’m sure her hubby is doing the happy dance.
Spot on, PapaBear! The cost of daycare alone is enough reason for most women with young children to stay home with them.
Plus nowadays, women are probably more willing to stay at home and take care of children rather than being part of the feminist movement.
Yep. Not to mention the toll two incomes can take on families. When my wife and I were both working and as yet childless, it really felt almost like we were two roommates. We were both dead tired at the end of the day, and weekends were insanely busy trying to cram in everything we couldn’t do during the week.
Though the extra income was nice, once we realized we could tighten the belt a little and live off one income, our house turned back into a home again. For us it was totally worth it.
A good chunk of this is probably women who’ve been planning to spend a few years out of the employment scene to have a couple of children and stay home with them at least until they start preschool. Makes sense to make money while the economy’s strong and well-paying jobs are plentiful, and then use the economic downturn period for the babies. It’s an efficient flex in the economic system.
My wife and I are moving to the beach in La Jolla for one year while she takes a teaching job, this weekend she asked if I would postpone looking for work until mid-Sept to get her and the kids comfortable in their routine. I love my wife, so I told her I was willing to make that sacrifice.
The article actually says women are leaving the workforce, but not to be stay at home moms.
(I’m a stay at home mom, and quit the workforce to be one.)
That was not the case when I was working. It does if you have kids, but not when there are only 2 people. There’s not much housework if you are both working, and there’s plenty of money for food and such.
Grant it, my husband and I were both engineers and got paid quite a bit of money.
When the kids came, I didn’t want to work and it didn’t make as much financial sense. No matter what, we would have been better off financially if I would have stayed in the workforce. I would be easily pulling over $100K by this time, and that would easily pay for a full time nanny. We just didn’t want a non-parent taking care of our kids.
I loved it when my hubby and I worked. We both were software engineers for the same company, so we would go out to lunch and take breaks almost every day together. We didn’t drive in together because we often had different work schedules.
My hubby is a workaholic, so he likes to work late. When we worked together, we’d just grab a bite to eat by work. I’d go off and do my thing, and he’d go back to work.
Once I started staying at home when we had kids, I missed my husband. I still don’t see him much. Maybe someday we’ll be able to work together again.
Lost my job in January after 17 years. Not alot of decent jobs out there. Low pay, no benefits. Being older probably doesnt help. So instead, this unemployed housewife spends her day
1.) looking for a decent job
2.) fishing
3.) cleaning
4.) laundry
5.) having dinner ready when my hubby gets home
6.) spending time on Freerepublic
wish I could have done this when my kids were young
So true. Best perk of my unemployment/getting laid off last year was WAY less arguing stemming from both of us constantly tired. We managed on one salary since, and for some reason (I think you nailed it on the head), our marriage is better for it. A part-time job for me would ease the finances a bit, so that is what I'm looking for.
I’m right there with you, except for fishing. :)
Instead, I took on a massive project of archiving and attempting to save all the family photographs dating back to the 1930s.
I’ve showed co-workers that the average woman here is making $100 a week, that is after child care, gasolene, and other expenses!! Most would be better off working part-time while the husband was at home on weekends.
Well they say they need the money but all the extra expenses mean they really aren’t making that much in the scheme of things.
I can sit down and show them but they still disagree. I forgot to add eating out EVERY SINGLE DAY to that list also. Also letting strangers raise their kids!
Hey my little Chickadee, take a break, you have earned it, get a big glass of your favorite beverage kick back, and relax, this recession won’t last for ever, and someone with your years of experience is always in demand. Just take a few minutes to relax, don’t worry, and enjoy your time off and hubby. Life is too short to spend it worrying about things that probably won’t happen.
As in all aspects of life, nobody really knows anything about women.
Thanks. I had just got ticked off by someone else who made me feel unappreciated and my list was more to make me feel better than anything else. :-)
That one's my pick; so many made up 'facts' in the tract makes it something only an Obamafan could swallow...
Wow, how do you grind wheat?
Ah, well working for the same company and spending time together on lunch and breaks makes a big difference! We were working for different companies miles away, eating lunch with other people.
I can definitely see how working together and hanging out during the day might be better than him working late, you being at home and barely seeing him. Can you lean on him to come home earlier and spend some time with the family? Or have you already tried that ad nauseam LOL
I never thought about the arguing more but I think you’re right. When everyone’s tired and cranky and hungry and dinner still needs to be made, that’s a problem! :)
My wife has been doing some work from home and might soon be doing some more as well. I think wives doing part-time work is a great way to boost the family income. But she doesn’t want to do 9 to 5 ever again, and I totally agree.
ad nauseam is correct!!!!
Well, it sounds like you are an executive secretary and more.
“Wow, how do you grind wheat?”
With a grain mill. It’s electric.
I do have a hand mill that I will crack grain with. Cracked wheat and oatmeal makes a great breakfast.
I had primarily meant couples with kids, and had forgotten to add day care to the list. A two-earner childless couple is workable, but when you add a few kids to the mix the numbers don't work out unless both are high earning professionals
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