I suspect the biggest reason both parents work in some families is because far too many people are carrying mortgages and/or car payments larger than they can really afford. Everything's fine on two salaries, but they suddenly find that they're locked into that structure and can't have one parent stay at home.
They'll tell you that "they have to work" to pay the bills - but they'll seldom recognize that their predicament is as a result of their own free choice.
"I suspect the biggest reason both parents work in some families is because far too many people are carrying mortgages and/or car payments larger than they can really afford. Everything's fine on two salaries, but they suddenly find that they're locked into that structure and can't have one parent stay at home. They'll tell you that "they have to work" to pay the bills - but they'll seldom recognize that their predicament is as a result of their own free choice."
This is very true. Maybe it's time that Americans cut the consuming, made better choices about what it is necessary to "have." Keeping up with the Joneses gets pretty expensive. The more "things" we have, the more time we need to spend taking care of them.