Study: US mothers deserve $134,121 in salary

[TechBear_Seattle]

Study: US mothers deserve $134,121 in salary
By Ellen Wulfhorst

NEW YORK (Reuters) - A full-time stay-at-home mother would earn $134,121 a year if paid for all her work, an amount similar to a top U.S. ad executive, a marketing director or a judge, according to a study released Wednesday.

A mother who works outside the home would earn an extra $85,876 annually on top of her actual wages for the work she does at home, according to the study by Waltham, Massachusetts-based compensation experts Salary.com.

To reach the projected pay figures, the survey calculated the earning power of the 10 jobs respondents said most closely comprise a mother's role -- housekeeper, day-care teacher, cook, computer operator, laundry machine operator, janitor, facilities manager, van driver, chief executive and psychologist.

...

Employed mothers reported spending on average 44 hours a week at their outside job and 49.8 hours at their home job, while the stay-at-home mother worked 91.6 hours a week, it showed.

The full article is available at http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20060503/ts_nm/life_work_dc

[ComerPerro]

1. pathetic

Usually studies like this are done to promote the right wing agenda of "women belong in the home", or to validate rich Republican women who don't work and sit on their asses all day while a housekeeper and nanny do the work.

[redqueen]

5. Come on now... it also validates me...

I did that job for two years, and sacrificed in order to do so.

I'm pretty tired of people thinking it's only lazy rich republican women with nannies that do it.

[ComerPerro]

7. so what are you advocating?

[redqueen]

8. Appreciating the efforts of stay at home moms, that's all.

Not the ones who use nannies or day care, mind you. :)


It just sucks that in other countries stay at home moms are actually given stipends to care for their kids during the developmental years... but we can't have that here... we value the family too much.

:sarcasm:

[ComerPerro]

9. We can't have stipends for stay-at-home moms

it would be exploited by the rich.

One thing it does show is how, ever since Republicans really took control (1980s) pay has gone down and cost of living has gone up so much that most families can barely get by one one income.


And, I just have to say this:

I don't believe stay-at-home mothers should be compensated.

Those people in the professions listed for the purposes of the study: They perform services for all people, not just their own family and their own homes.

EDIT: Just to add, if a stay at home mother isn't properly compensated or appreciated, that's the husbands' problem

[redqueen]

10. Yeah, I just need to move. n/t

[rinsd]

2. Ugh...

While I certainly agree that raising children is a job onto itself let's not lose our heads

"housekeeper, day-care teacher, cook, computer operator, laundry machine operator, janitor, facilities manager, van driver, chief executive and psychologist"

As a single man I undertake 7 of these 10 tasks each and every day as I am sure most people do who do not either live with their parents or have some sort paid help. Now I understand cleaning up after children is much harder than cleaning uo after my roommate but some of these tasks are stretching it. Computer operator? Laundry machine operator?

[ComerPerro]

3. Even with overtime pay, that's $22 an hour

I'd take that job in a heartbeat.


Here's the math, check it if you want:

91.6 hours a week

40 regular hours, 51.6 overtime hours (paid at time and a half, so multiply by 1.5)

40 hours + 77.4 (adjusted) overtime hours = 117.4 hours per week

117.4 hours per week * 52 weeks in a year = 6104.8 hours per year.


Annual salary (134,121) / Annual hours (6104.8) = Hourly rate (21.969)


That's $22 an hour!

[knitter4democracy]

4. I wish.

I look at it like I make my hubby's job happen, though. There's no way he could do all the hours he does as an internist without massive help here at home. I'm not saying he doesn't help out or do as much as he can, but he sure couldn't do as much as I do just to keep things going. We found that out this last year when my health went to heck in a handbasket.

I don't think we need to keep any in-fighting amongst women going, though. Working moms, stay-at-home moms are still all moms, and we still are all on the same side of most things. We need to fight for a national health care plan, and we need to fight for higher wages for all.

[redqueen]

6. Exactly! Let's respect each other, sisters, please!

:hi:

[Marnieworld]

11. Gag!

I always hate when these stupid articles come out. Please pay me for my life. Whine whine whine. Own up to your choices and face the responsibility of your life. Other than the child care aspect these are tasks that everyone has to do. When I work I get paid for my efforts that benefit others. When I clean my house I get the benefit of a clean house. This is just such entitlement it makes me sick.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

12. Psychologist?

Shit. My kids are going to sue me for malpractice.