Motherhood: The Cause of the Recession.
Posted June 2nd, 2009 by Annette LaingDid you know that motherhood is a major cause of the recession?
Most families’ experience of the recession isn’t destitution, according to an article in today’s New York Times: Rather, there are many families who are cutting back and learning to live on less. Hardly a controversial proposition, one would have thought.
To make the point, the Times profiled a family in suburban Sacramento with four kids. The father is a state worker who is now furloughed twice a month, while the mother stays at home with their two sets of twins (aged 7 and 20 months respectively.) Mom has adjusted by shopping savvily for groceries, negotiating a discount on the girls’ ballet lessons, and redeeming some old savings bonds. All very sensible, and typical of the cuts that many families are making right now.
But then I read the comments. Here’s a selection of quotes from the most popular comments (at time of writing), all of which, naturally, are anonymous:
- Does Mrs. Ferrell work? Why did they have more children? Did they think one gross yearly salary of $72K would cover 4 people, much less 6, in California (or maybe anywhere)?
- Your state is bankrupt and mom doesn’t seem to work but has plenty of time to “poor me” for the cameras. They should be ashamed.
- Unless dad makes over a hundred thou a year on his own, why have so many kids at his age? And mom doesn’t even have a professional job. How did they think they could afford their family?
- 4 kids and 3 pets? If things were tight before why did they have more kids?
Perhaps the cure for the recession’s ills among middle class Americans is right in front of us.
President Obama, start taking notes…
A mother should limit herself to one child. If she was foolish enough to have bred more than one child when the recession hit, and she does not already work outside the home, then she must take employment. If she cannot find a job or afford childcare, she is not looking hard enough.
Meanwhile, her surplus children will be housed at a county-run Furloughed Child Facility. At the FCF, the children will be carefully stored. The cost to taxpayers will be offset by the stored offspring consuming only a healthy, fiber-rich, nutritionally-complete diet of vitamin-enhanced gruel.
Motherhood: The Cause of the Recession. Let’s deal with this appalling social problem NOW.
9 Comments
May 8, 2012 at 9:52 pm by College Football HelmetBlame you looking for another staggering article. Where else could anybody and get that well-intentioned of intelligence in such a great practice of writing.
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June 5, 2009 at 2:56 pm by PIPMaybe I’m just an overemotional Prima Donna because I want a place to nap and pump and I want flex time. When I asked for a place to pump and nap My supervisor responded by saying “well, what did you do while you were on your vacation in costa rica?.” I had to explain that since my baby was with me all day in Costa Rica I didn’t have to pump. and then I got so flustered I didn’t bring up Flex Time at all. I find it insulting that since he’s the default HR person he hasn’t researched the pumping laws or figured out what pumping is. I haven’t even brought up Flex Time yet- I have a hard time believing they’ll go for it. which is infuriating since this is one of the most progressive organizations in the country. I need some support around this from some one with influence. I should NOT have to fight for every thing or be the only one making suggestions. there should be a progressive policy in place at this progressive workplace. arrrrrrgghhhhhhhh!!!!!!
I have graciously stepped down from my executive level job (which could be seen as being demoted for having a child) so that we can change my job into something less stressful and demanding, the least they could do would be to THINK about what my return to work will be like.
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June 5, 2009 at 10:14 am by Charles J GervasiI wouldn’t write something rude about a struggling family, as the anonymous poster did, but I do understand where she/he is coming from. People should plan ahead for the cost of a family. It’s foolish to have several children and then be shocked at the cost. Since the economy cycles faster than children grow up, you’ve got to know there will be ups and downs during your kids’ childhood. It is frustrating when people don’t plan and want either a handout or the government to manage large portions of their lives.
We absolutely should help families living at or near the federal poverty line. If you make average money, though, it’s hard to understand how you need gov’t benefits. If people with decent money need gov’t benefits to help with their basic needs, then most of society needs to depend on the government. That is an unacceptable situation.
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June 4, 2009 at 11:23 am by MarieBeing a Mom in the United States is scary! People want to be Pro-Life, but “NEWSFLASH” in order to be Pro-Life we must be Pro-Family!!!!
I am a single mother of 2,a Social Work student, a volunteer in my community, and an advocate for social services. I am very aware of the programs that are out there and the only consistent thing about them are budget cuts!
Where is the flextime for parents? Health care for families? Affordable, SAFE, childcare? Fair and equal pay for Moms especially?
I volunteer at a homeless shelter for families with children, yes the families mainly consist of Mom and child(ren). The economy is hard on the majority right now but parents, Moms, are hit the hardest!
There is winning for Moms if we all CONSISTENTLY write to our President and make our voices heard until there is a response.
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June 3, 2009 at 1:37 pm by AmberI thought having children was often touted as an economic stimulant. You know, more kids means more consumers and more workers. Parents buy more stuff for their large families. Many countries encourage people to have more children for just this reason.
There’s really no winning this battle, is there? No matter what, moms are at fault.
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June 3, 2009 at 5:29 am by Catherine SummerI am writing to you from France, so excuse my english!!
Many people forget that children bring wealth non only to their families but also to their country, not only emotionally but also financially.
We should have 3 children per family to maintain the number of people in our country : it is these children who, in 10, 15 or 20 years, will form the fabric of economic activity, pay our pension when we are older, pay taxes to help those who are poor or at the expense of society.
We must see the family as the starter and hope for the future society, not as a burden.
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June 2, 2009 at 11:09 pm by Chris JohnsonThe economic situation has hit most families hard and many unprepared. However, the government does not have a solution to the internal family struggles that exist throughout our country today. So we ask the President and the Congress to stop the debt spending practices so that families today, and in the future, will not be saddled with the responsibilities of budgeting for the family, and for the government debt.
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June 2, 2009 at 11:06 pm by RachelWhen I went on maternity leave with my daughter, i got disability through the state, i filled out the paperwork exactly like they asked,& i got my checks through the mail, although the amounts they paid out were laughable!Months later they send me a letter saying they overpaid me & i had to back the money. I appealed it immediately, stating that i had absolutely no financial means to pay back that ammount of money. They sent me a letter saying that my appeal was denied because it was my fault that they overpaid me! How is it my fault that i did everything right, & they send out the checks, but it’s my fault, & now i have to go without clothes & food for my family because now i have to pay back the state of california!
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June 2, 2009 at 8:10 pm by Amy@UWMGood post. Of course if the mom had worked in the story, the comments would have condemned her for that decision too. No winning for moms.
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