That's how much you'd be paying to have someone else do all that work.
If the typical stay-at-home mother in the United States were paid for her work as a housekeeper, cook and psychologist among other roles, she would earn $138,095 a year, according to research released on Wednesday. This reflected a 3 percent raise from last year's $134,121, according to Salary.com Inc, Waltham, Massachusetts-based compensation experts.
The 10 jobs listed as comprising a mother's work were housekeeper, cook, day care center teacher, laundry machine operator, van driver, facilities manager, janitor, computer operator, chief executive officer and psychologist, it said.
The typical mother puts in a 92-hour work week, it said, working 40 hours at base pay and 52 hours overtime.
For some mothers (like mine, for instance), you could also add handy(wo)man, private tutor, groundskeeper, and part-time nurse.
Something to think about for those of you--especially in the left wing of the feminist movement-- who talk about the domestic engineering involved in "only staying home to raise the children" as though it is nothing of significance and requires no talent. If you were true feminists, you would appreciate all contributions women make to society, even the traditional ones.
Full time mothering is one of the few roles that provides almost limitless opportunity for women to use their talents--because there is no end to what children will think of next.
And for those of you who have made the sacrifices to stay home with your kids (and also your husbands who work extra hard to make it financially feasible) a big hats off. You do make a difference in the lives of your children.
Happy Mother's Day.
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Some cool Blog-moms to check out:
Kitchen Madonna
Catholic Mom
Desperate Irish Housewife
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