Working mothers

webtaz99 · **Tue Jul 11, 2006 6:40 pm Working mothers**

What does it imply when our grandparents could raise a family on the husband's salary alone, even when he worked a menial job, yet now many families barely get by with both parents working good jobs?

I get so sick of media pundits and talking heads wailing about the decay of modern society and wondering what the cause is, when this is such a central issue.

What's next? The return of child labor?

lionhead · **Tue Jul 11, 2006 6:47 pm**

Next is another collapse of the economy. Stocks will plummit, inflation everywhere, lots of working, very little cash, businesses will be ruined, lifes will breakdown.

Wow, thats so negative i surprise myself.

madlilnerd · **Tue Jul 11, 2006 6:59 pm**

Judging by the laziness of modern children, I think child labour would do the world of good. I would love a job but can't get one.

The minimum wage in America is too low. Over here, the minimum wage is alright, but some people are too lazy and just leech of the government.

In the olden days, less people could afford "mod cons", and because they didn't have a TV less advertising got out to them. Nowadays, idiots spend spend spend, work themselves into debt and then complain about it later.

lionhead · **Tue Jul 11, 2006 7:19 pm**

Puck · The Texan Joined: 05 Jan 2004 Posts: 5596

I don't think we are going to have to worry about any of this because accroding to the media we are all going to die from stuff like drinking Diet Coke, not using good air filters, the West Nile virus, eye cancer, tylenol, the bird flu, and anything else you can think of.

madlilnerd · **Thu Jul 13, 2006 4:45 am**

Hitchhiker · **Thu Jul 13, 2006 10:55 am**

I would love to freeload off my parents for as long as possible.

Why? Because society doesn't know what to do with me. It seems to want two mutually-exclusive things: it wants to get me out on my own, make me self-sufficient and a contributing member of society, as soon as possible. But it doesn't seem willing to furnish me with the basic skills I need to do that. For instance, do you know how long I spend learning specifically about how to get a job, how to a make a resume, etc? One quarter of a year. Half a semester.

It's obvious that the government doesn't take education as seriously as it should, especially not practical education. Because of this, I feel very pressured to succeed and get a job, even though I'm ony 16 and my previous job was obtained through the lovely hands of nepotism.

I did in fact acquire a job, which is great, because I like it and even if it is minimum wage it's still better than nothing. But I resent the vicious push to get one.

Sam Kenobi · **Thu Jul 13, 2006 11:17 am**

I think the cost of living has just gone up. That and we've become so much more materialistic... it must be exponential. Here's the thing.

I can't get a job because of illegal immigration and major corporation lay offs in town. Most likely I won't be home next summer because every job that a college student who has the summer off should have in this town is taken by illegal Mexican immigrants or middle aged men and women who were laid off by MCI.... all of whom (the illegals and lay offs) are trying to support thier families, I understand. Not to mention the ridiculously huge influx of population from Texas (go back home), California (didn't you like it there enough? Shoo), and the military (we've got an Army base, three Air Force bases, and the Air Force Academy). High schoolers now think they also have the right to get non-fast food jobs during the summer.

I think we should just nix the whole college thing and start apprenticing with the career of our parents' choice again like the days of yore. What a stress relief that one would be.

PS HH... I work for my parents too when I can't find work. Good ole' parents.

lionhead · **Thu Jul 13, 2006 11:53 am**

Puck · The Texan Joined: 05 Jan 2004 Posts: 5596

I think parents need to do a better job of making kids do work around the house, and that would be enough.

lionhead · **Thu Jul 13, 2006 4:29 pm**

agreed. Not all day chores or a working shedule though.

Puck · The Texan Joined: 05 Jan 2004 Posts: 5596

Certainly not all day chores. We don't want that extreme either. Just find a balance that will create an environment that does not teach laziness while at the same time, promotes the value of leisure time and does not create workaholics. And of course, it should vary with age and maturity.

Hitchhiker · **Thu Jul 13, 2006 5:02 pm**

I agree with teaching children to be responsible and giving them chores. I do a lot of things around my house (mostly when asked), and although I may get perturbed if I'm already in a bad mood, or I'm doing something really interesting, I do eventually complete the chore.

I also have several "jobs" that don't pay me any money, but have the same or a higher amount of responsibility and work involved than any other paying job I've had.

Arellia · **Thu Jul 13, 2006 8:22 pm**

My grandfather was pretty amazing. He was living in a car as a kid, but he worked through high school hard enough to buy his own car, clothes, and help support his mom and dad. He did the agriculture work a lot of immigrants do now. He supported himself, a wife and child through college, finished in the 4 years and started teaching at a high school when he was 22 years old. This kind of story just isn't heard much any more, or I don't hear it. He worked really, really hard to get where he is, and he still works hard... I don't think many people today actually want to put in that kind of effort. It doesn't help that the immigrants are doing work that people used to get decent pay for. Americans used to do that work. I don't see why they can't any more. My grandfather and the rest of my family drilled a work ethic into me that a lot of kids my age don't have so much... and the idea that if you want to make something of yourself you can always do it, it's just going to take some hard work, which isn't so bad once you do it. In all reality, after working at my job, school, whatever, I feel better for it. It's not much wonder to me why people who do nothing tend to get depressed.

PrankishSmart · **Fri Jul 14, 2006 5:08 am**

It's because unemployment rates are dropping, the level of teenage moms having 'accidents' and increasing at an alarming rate, the level of required highly skilled workers is dropping due to new machines, technology etc, world is becoming too overpopulated, the average job is becoming less demanding, world running out of oil, etc.

Blaming immigrants is intresting, although I think the area of blame should be put down to your own education system. Maybe if children are educated on politics, they will take their contries democracy a bit more seriously and voting day more than just a grain of salt.

madlilnerd · **Fri Jul 14, 2006 11:42 am**

I got a letter this morning from a charity I occasionally donate to called Refugee Action, which helps refugee women and children. Only, the thing is, instead of asking me to give them money to pay for rape councelling or whatever they usually ask for (social justice I think), they wanted me to pay for training so that they can get jobs.
Hey, I'm thinking... next year some of my friends will be getting �30 ($50) A WEEK (plus bonuses at christmas) in EMA (educational maintainence allowance) from the government just for going to school. I'm not getting this, and they want me to pay for someone elses college fees even though I have to pay for my own (and I pay for other english people's through taxes). On top of that, I can't find a job.
I know it sounds selfish, but I can't afford to give even a one off payment of �30 to help an asylum seeker. It seems wrong to pay for them to recieve training so they can get a job, when me and my brother can't get jobs (and my brother can't get placements on courses because he's not "under privilaged").

My brother didn't want to go to uni. He wanted to become a plumber. But they PAYED "under privilaged" people to go on the plumbing course and all the spaces got filled.

The more I think about it, the more privilaged "under privilaged" people seem nowadays.

I feel mean for saying all this, but it's true. Not one of my friends is going to spend all their EMA on educational needs. It's going to go on CDs, clothes and drugs. And that sucks, because if I got it, I'd spend it on my �40 a week train fares.

Well, that was a total TLDR rant.

Of and, BTW, I don't see children as mindless drones or batteries. But think of all the lard arse brats sitting in front of idiot boxes all day being unproductive. I'm not suggesting that they should do meaningless labour instead of education, but maybe the ones who repeatedly fail would be happier in a job instead of school.

Arellia · **Fri Jul 14, 2006 3:23 pm**

madlilnerd · **Fri Jul 14, 2006 4:09 pm**

See, in my town, the only immigrants that "steal jobs" are the Polish, and we can't tell them to get lost because they're not illegal. They just work harder than the lazy SOS (scum of slough) like me.

Leo Wyatt · **Fri Jul 14, 2006 4:18 pm**

I give my kids chores around the house and Charlie gives them money when they do it right. When they become teenagers, they will go out and get a part time job. Only way to teach them in the real world. I stay at home to home school my kids cause education in Georgia sucks really bad! It is a shame too. Sometimes I wish I was in another state... I don't work, charlie does though. I make sure my kids are taking care of and taught. Granted my grammar is better on paper than online ...

Jobs ? There are hardly any out there even if I were to search for one.. The economy is bad . Been for years to me. I don't see it getting any better either unless things gets better.

magenta · **Sun Jul 16, 2006 4:56 am**

Coming from an australian perspective,as a working mother.I have recently gone back to work after 5yrs out of the work-force.My husband has had trouble getting and keeping a job in the last few months.
Being at breaking point with our bills,I decided to go back to work to get us out of debt.
I found a job pretty easily,but the rate of pay I was used to getting had dropped by $30 to $35 a week!
We can get by on one wage,we sold our second car and cut down on all the luxuries.But who wants to live like this forever?Why should life be a big struggle and be frugal with every dollar?
My husband is now looking for an afternoon shift job to help out.When me and my brother were kids we didnt do any household chores,only as a punishment.My dad was very strict on us and the 'mother' was expected to do ALL the house hold duties!
I know now that was wrong and my kids will be expected to do chores when they are old enough.
My dad is absolutely horrified that I am now working and my husband is at home not working looking after the kids.I tell him that times have changed and if I dont get out there and do my part we will go under.He cant understand why we cant live on a wage of $500 dollars a week after tax.
With housepayments being double that of his day,and council rates and all the other government 'taxes'.The hard earned $500 that I bring home a week is quickly gone.We are lucky that we also recieve Family Assistance from the government,it is a great help to get us through.But we are still struggling!!!
We are facing the new government laws passed to allow immigrants into australia on temp working visas to 'fill' the 'lack' of skilled workers in australia!They are paid way below the award wage paid to australian citizens.
But that is getting off topic isnt it!