by Jackeline Vzquez

Created on: March 27, 2009   Last Updated: March 31, 2009

Ok this is not going to be the popular stance but this is not going to be the popular stance but, nonetheless I think there is something to say for stay at home mothering or fathering. And I'm not thinking of the so called golden are of the 50's where staying at home appeared to be perfect for women and going to work appeared perfect for men. I think there was much more to that era than is presented by, "father knows best" kind of media. I really think that a lot of families suffered because divorce was so taboo. I think some (not most) but some marriages lasted longer because there was no way out for the women. And I definitely don't like the picture of a father coming home and not interacting with his children and not helping the wife out with the house, because children all need a good participating male figure, and the man not helping around the house is totally inconsiderate because the man ends up with a nine to five and the women and up with potentially 24 hour jobs. This is really when the home becomes more like a job to the female that she can't "go home" from. So even if a woman is a stay at home mom, if the man can expect to come home at five and put his feet up, why shouldn't his wife be able to do the same? So the disparities that these stringent roles create are not necessarily ideal.

Nevertheless with divorce on the rise (and not even healthy divorce, I'm talking about the divorce that produces broken homes kind of divorces), anxiety and depression being diagnosed more and more in adults and children, gang behavior increasing, crime increasing, and general miscreant behavior on the rise maybe we should look back to full time parenting. There are some issues that women especially look at when it comes to stay at home parenting that mainly involve them.

First it's the whole being at home kind of thing where the house becomes a giant monster that's going to suffocate you at any moment. If this is the stay at home mom you're thinking of then no, I don't recommend this to anyone. Yes stay at home moms should take some time to be at home and keep house. But being in the house all the time when there is so much to be done in the community that you can involve the children in? It's not necessary and, many times these activities can be both fun, educational and character building. Also there are hobby, or crafting, or even home improvement classes being given at various places, not to mention library activities. There are so many things that can be done.

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