by Barbara Frank
Many of the practical skills required for self-sufficiency were once the province of women. Before the mid-20th century, most American families followed the traditional model of men going out to work each day to earn money while women stayed behind, caring for the children and the home. Until women went to work in droves in the 1970s and 1980s, homemakers were the backbone of the American family, using the dollars their husbands earned in the most economical ways.
The rise of feminism and the resulting backlash against women being “just homemakers” left a void in the average family. With both parents at work, there was no one at home during the day to prepare meals, clean the house, or make sure the daily lives of the family members ran smoothly. Instead, the work of homemaking was hired out, or performed by one or both parents after work and on the weekends.
I hope enough time has passed since the homemaker became obsolete that we can now be honest and admit that life was much easier when there were homemakers. Dads and kids came home to a hot meal, a clean house and clean clothes. Doctor and dentist appointments were made, bills were paid and kitchens were fully stocked with food. No one had to take off work to wait for repairmen to show up or to stay home with sick children.
Sounds ideal, doesn’t it? It was, for the men and the children. But many women chafed at the idea of being tied to a house all the time. They wanted to get out of the house and have careers.
Ironically, in the current recession it’s often women who have an easier time finding work. These days, men have a higher rate of unemployment than women; as of January 2010, the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for workers age 16 and over was 10.8% for men and 8.4% for women.
In addition, the number of families with the wife as sole breadwinner is increasing. According to data from the U.S. Census Bureau, in 2007, 5% of all married couples with children included an employed wife and an unemployed husband. By 2009, that rate had gone up to 7%, an increase of 40% in only two years.
This trend is likely to continue because the two primary career areas where job growth can be found, education and healthcare, have traditionally employed more women than men. With a higher rate of unemployment, more men are finding themselves at home these days.
These men can blunt the devastating effect of their lost income on the family budget by doing work around the house instead of paying to have it done. This includes work that the traditional homemaker once performed. Ultimately, more men are becoming homemakers.
I’m not suggesting that men and women have traded places, although it may seem that way right now in households with employed wives and unemployed husbands. What we’re seeing, however, is a picture of the future.
In the rapidly changing 21st century economy, there will be times when one half of a couple is between jobs while the other works. As a result, they’ll sometimes be living on one income. Living well on one income is much easier if there’s a homemaker in the family. Homemaking is an art that was the province of the wife but is now becoming a needed skill for both partners. Whoever is out of work at any given time can take over the job of homemaker, saving the family money by doing housework, cooking, etc. instead of hiring out the work or buying expensive premade conveniences.
This will also be true in the case of teleworkers. I noted earlier in this section that the rise in the number of teleworkers is just beginning. More teleworkers means more people at home who can accomplish household tasks while they’re there. They can start a load of wash before starting their workday, and throw in another load during lunch. They can put a chicken into the oven a few hours before suppertime, saving money on a prepared chicken from the grocery (and it’s healthier, too.) Thanks to their flexible schedules, teleworkers will be able to keep the home running smoothly while getting their own work done.
Expected gaps between jobs and the rise of the teleworker show us that both men and women will sometimes have to be homemakers in the new economy of the 21st century. For that reason, we need to teach our sons as well as our daughters how to do the work traditionally done by homemakers in addition to other practical skills.
Copyright 2012 Barbara Frank/ Cardamom Publishers
Barbara Frank homeschooled three children to adulthood and continues to homeschool her youngest son. Her latest book is “Thriving in the 21st Century: Preparing Our Children for the New Economic Reality” (Cardamom Publishers, April 2011). You'll find her on the Web at www.thrivinginthe21stcentury.com and http://barbarafrankonline.com
Many of the practical skills required for self-sufficiency were once the province of women. Before the mid-20th century, most American families followed the traditional model of men going out to work each day to earn money while women stayed behind, caring for the children and the home. Until women went to work in droves in the 1970s and 1980s, homemakers were the backbone of the American family, using the dollars their husbands earned in the most economical ways.
The rise of feminism and the resulting backlash against women being “just homemakers” left a void in the average family. With both parents at work, there was no one at home during the day to prepare meals, clean the house, or make sure the daily lives of the family members ran smoothly. Instead, the work of homemaking was hired out, or performed by one or both parents after work and on the weekends.
I hope enough time has passed since the homemaker became obsolete that we can now be honest and admit that life was much easier when there were homemakers. Dads and kids came home to a hot meal, a clean house and clean clothes. Doctor and dentist appointments were made, bills were paid and kitchens were fully stocked with food. No one had to take off work to wait for repairmen to show up or to stay home with sick children.
Sounds ideal, doesn’t it? It was, for the men and the children. But many women chafed at the idea of being tied to a house all the time. They wanted to get out of the house and have careers.
Ironically, in the current recession it’s often women who have an easier time finding work. These days, men have a higher rate of unemployment than women; as of January 2010, the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for workers age 16 and over was 10.8% for men and 8.4% for women.
In addition, the number of families with the wife as sole breadwinner is increasing. According to data from the U.S. Census Bureau, in 2007, 5% of all married couples with children included an employed wife and an unemployed husband. By 2009, that rate had gone up to 7%, an increase of 40% in only two years.
This trend is likely to continue because the two primary career areas where job growth can be found, education and healthcare, have traditionally employed more women than men. With a higher rate of unemployment, more men are finding themselves at home these days.
These men can blunt the devastating effect of their lost income on the family budget by doing work around the house instead of paying to have it done. This includes work that the traditional homemaker once performed. Ultimately, more men are becoming homemakers.
I’m not suggesting that men and women have traded places, although it may seem that way right now in households with employed wives and unemployed husbands. What we’re seeing, however, is a picture of the future.
In the rapidly changing 21st century economy, there will be times when one half of a couple is between jobs while the other works. As a result, they’ll sometimes be living on one income. Living well on one income is much easier if there’s a homemaker in the family. Homemaking is an art that was the province of the wife but is now becoming a needed skill for both partners. Whoever is out of work at any given time can take over the job of homemaker, saving the family money by doing housework, cooking, etc. instead of hiring out the work or buying expensive premade conveniences.
This will also be true in the case of teleworkers. I noted earlier in this section that the rise in the number of teleworkers is just beginning. More teleworkers means more people at home who can accomplish household tasks while they’re there. They can start a load of wash before starting their workday, and throw in another load during lunch. They can put a chicken into the oven a few hours before suppertime, saving money on a prepared chicken from the grocery (and it’s healthier, too.) Thanks to their flexible schedules, teleworkers will be able to keep the home running smoothly while getting their own work done.
Expected gaps between jobs and the rise of the teleworker show us that both men and women will sometimes have to be homemakers in the new economy of the 21st century. For that reason, we need to teach our sons as well as our daughters how to do the work traditionally done by homemakers in addition to other practical skills.
Copyright 2012 Barbara Frank/ Cardamom Publishers
Barbara Frank homeschooled three children to adulthood and continues to homeschool her youngest son. Her latest book is “Thriving in the 21st Century: Preparing Our Children for the New Economic Reality” (Cardamom Publishers, April 2011). You'll find her on the Web at www.thrivinginthe21stcentury.com and http://barbarafrankonline.com
