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Where Did all the Mothers Go After 1963?

Those of us that were children in the 1960's seemingly lost our mothers and happy homes to the "Women's Liberation Movement." The children were the ones who suffered most when the mothers went to work, leaving behind all of the housework and child care. They were too busy with their "important" work, their jobs, to worry about their homes and families. They felt they had been freed from housework and childcare because they had jobs! They had drinks and meals with their friends to talk about their "liberation" from the families they left behind.

Working women seemed to believe that their husbands would take over cooking and cleaning when the wife and mother no longer did it, but surprise! Many of the husbands and fathers ate most meals outside of the home, as did the mothers, and the kids were expected to get by on their own often with little or no food in the house. Many children went days without seeing either parent because they would leave for work while the children were sleeping and return at night when the kids again were asleep.

Shocked at the dissolvement of their families, which frequently was a complete surprise to the children, children who were scared and lonely did not know what to do with themselves. They went to school, not always appropriately dressed for various temperatures, came home to houses that were empty, at least they hoped they were empty, watched TV and called friends. No matter how many tkmes they looked into closets and under beds, they were not convinced that they were alone in the house. When they were sick, as most children seem to be pretty often, they stayed home by themselves all day, watching TV and looking for something to eat and drink.

The house was not cleaned. Laundry was not done. Groceries were not bought. Clothes were handed down from older brothers, sisters and cousins, and were worn by the younger ones even when they were faded and shabby looking, because they had to wear something! Even then, other kids could be very cruel, though not as bad as they got later on when kids were expected to wear new designer clothes every season. In those days, other kids asked if the kids had gotten their clothes out of a garbage can. These were in the days before fast food restaurants and convenience stores were on every corner, and meals were somehow expected to be prepared by a completely inexperienced cook with very little food in the house. Even peanut butter and jelly sandwiches require some food!

Kids congregated in houses where mothers stayed home and did not work outside the home. Those mothers were always at school performances and were, amazingly, at home when their kids got home from school. They cooked dinner for the family; they didn't expect the children to do it.

During those times, some men apparently insisted that their wives would not have jobs outside of the home, but those days are long gone. Now women are expected to work outside the home, AND takE care of the home and family.

Learn more about this author, Ruth Scalpone.
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