With the news that a study has shown 50 per cent of adults feel that a child is better off with a stay-at-home parent, you could be forgiven for thinking we had time travelled back to 1954.
And a second look at the study shows that 45 per cent of adults say it’s better if the mother is the parent who isn’t employed outside the home. Just over half aren’t fussed just as long as it’s one of the parents and only two per cent think it should be the dad. It just re-confirms that the next thing you should do it put on your bobby socks and poodle skirt and rock on out to Bill Haley and his Comets.
Because we sure haven’t come a long way with our entrenched beliefs.
The research by the Pew Research Centre found that about four-in-10 (39 per cent) say children are just as well off when their parents work outside the home, despite almost half of those respondents who think a child needs a stay-at-home parents coming from a household where two parents work.
In Australia, we have 5.4 million two parent families, and 63 per cent of them have both parents in employment. There are millions of single parent families and same-sex parent families as well, but in keeping with the “1954” theme these this research ignored them completely.
Only two per cent thought the dad should be the one to stay home. Via Lego.
The study found that men are more likely than women to say that children in two-parent households are better off when a parent stays home (63 per cent vs 55 per cent).
They are the kind of statistics that make you wonder why.
Why do only two per cent of people think that fathers should take on the stay at home parent role?
Why do we have such entrenched attitudes about having a stay-at-home-parent at all?
Top Comments
I have lived in a few different countries, I have seen what some people have to go through to provide for their children. I am currently a SAHM to my baby and I have to say I feel being a stay at home parent is a privilege not an obligation. I am so grateful that I have this choice and would never think badly of another person who either makes a different choice or who doesn't have the option.
I would love to see more dads being able to stay at home and get more in touch with their nurturing side. Its hard when the baby is still breastfeeding, but when he is older my husband will be able to stay at home while I can work.
Has anyone mentioned women who work full or part time because they actually enjoy their job as well as loving being a mum? Not always about the money as many comments are implying. What about women who are studying?