Is being a parent a job?

[Dmmetler]

What frustrates me is when "Staying home" is used as a reason to rank one person ahead of another-there was one man in a Sunday school class today who complained about "women who've just stayed home and not working" getting their spouse's social security if he dies. It bothers me that teaching other people's children is seen as a profession, but my choosing to teach my OWN child is seen as "Staying home and not working". (Not to mention that I, like many current homeschoolers and SAHMs, paid into social security for YEARS before having children).

[Zebra]

So, I guess instead of it being work vs job I would maybe called it being an indentured servant....:lol:!

 

Seriously though, teaching at a school is a real job. I choose not to send my dd to school and I am her teacher even though I don't get paid. I also have to live on one income and work to be frugal and I consider that a job as well. Instead of working full time, I am choosing to homeschool and be frugal. The pay is much worse, but it's still a real job.

 

Normal things that everyone has to do, laundry/cooking/buying toilet paper/raising your kids, that's just work.

[Mama Geek]

If I ask someone if they have a job or work, I am asking do they get paid to do something.

[Carol in Cal.]

I think that the way to pose that original question is, "Do you work outside of the home?"

 

If it's not put that way, it just causes a lot of fights.

 

But a good way to answer the original flawed question is, "I work hard at home alright--I homeschool!" Then add some comment about what you've been doing with the kids lately and segue into another topic that way.

[elegantlion]

I don't consider being a parent or a homemaker a job. I do consider homeschooling a job.

 

Somehow in my mind parent and homemaker are things that *I am* (and was when I was working full time outside the home) and homeschooling is something that *I do.*

 

That might only make sense in my mind, though :001_smile:

 

:iagree: I will never quit being a parent, but I will stop being a homeschooling parent once ds graduates.

[jennynd]

no, because you don't get paid and u can't quit

[Hannah C.]

What frustrates me is when "Staying home" is used as a reason to rank one person ahead of another-there was one man in a Sunday school class today who complained about "women who've just stayed home and not working" getting their spouse's social security if he dies. It bothers me that teaching other people's children is seen as a profession, but my choosing to teach my OWN child is seen as "Staying home and not working". (Not to mention that I, like many current homeschoolers and SAHMs, paid into social security for YEARS before having children).

 

:iagree:

 

The attitude that one can only be a contributing member of society if one has paid employment outside the home is a problem. It especially devalues stay at home parents and other full time caretakers of family members.