In the UK, only one woman in ten now stays at home to raise a family. This shift is relatively recent. Official figures show stay-at-home mums have dropped by more than a third in the past two decades to a historic low.
On the other hand, one stay-at-home dad in 100 brings up his children full-time.
The findings, published by the Office for National Statistics, come as the pressure on mothers to go out to work increases. The report said the number of adult women who do not work has dropped since 1980.
In 2014, more American Moms were staying home and they say that is the best option. The share of mothers who do not work outside the home rose over the past decade, reversing a long-term decline in stay-at-home mothers. (In the U.S., 71% of all mothers work outside the home.) Two-thirds are traditional married stay-at-home mothers with working husbands, but a growing number of mothers are unmarried.
Despite the fact that most mothers in the U.S. work at least part time, 60% of Americans say children are better off when a parent stays home to focus on the family, while 35% say they are just as well off when both parents work outside the home.
On the other hand, one stay-at-home dad in 100 brings up his children full-time.
The findings, published by the Office for National Statistics, come as the pressure on mothers to go out to work increases. The report said the number of adult women who do not work has dropped since 1980.
In 2014, more American Moms were staying home and they say that is the best option. The share of mothers who do not work outside the home rose over the past decade, reversing a long-term decline in stay-at-home mothers. (In the U.S., 71% of all mothers work outside the home.) Two-thirds are traditional married stay-at-home mothers with working husbands, but a growing number of mothers are unmarried.
Despite the fact that most mothers in the U.S. work at least part time, 60% of Americans say children are better off when a parent stays home to focus on the family, while 35% say they are just as well off when both parents work outside the home.
Let's go back in history. Men and women hunted side by side, using their unique skills. When children came along, the woman needed to care for her brood and joined the hunt less, picking berries and digging roots to eat instead so she could keep an eye on the little ones crawling in the dirt. Man and woman developed different skills, he: strength and speed to focus on his target, she: caring and naturing while talking to other women and preparing food.
Society developed to accommodate the separate rolls right up until WW2 in England, when most of the men went overseas, leaving the women to take over their roles and work in factories as well as the land. With their new-found independence, women welcomed the freedom and the pay. No longer were they chained to the kitchen, acting only to feed and service their man. They had clout.
In my younger days, I looked after my three children, even took on more during the holidays when we would all explore the world around us. I taught them well—how to be kind and considerate, how to respect everyone else, and how to grow strong. Back in the 60s & 70s, women didn't work. I loved my role. What more important thing could I do than to shape the future generation? When the children left home, I used my divorced status to look after someone else's child while she pursued her career. I worked in catering after my second marriage because of lack of qualifications and skills, gaining independence and pay for my effort. Both these jobskills were part of my earlier life.
Now we're retired, my husband and I share home-making duties. In the most simplified form, he does the shopping, cooking and dishes, I do the clothes washing and ironing, and sweep the floors etc. But we're getting old and no longer have the fire and drive of a young person. We're content in each other's company.
What do you think of women leaving their children for others to raise? Should men and women go back to traditional roles?
Society developed to accommodate the separate rolls right up until WW2 in England, when most of the men went overseas, leaving the women to take over their roles and work in factories as well as the land. With their new-found independence, women welcomed the freedom and the pay. No longer were they chained to the kitchen, acting only to feed and service their man. They had clout.
In my younger days, I looked after my three children, even took on more during the holidays when we would all explore the world around us. I taught them well—how to be kind and considerate, how to respect everyone else, and how to grow strong. Back in the 60s & 70s, women didn't work. I loved my role. What more important thing could I do than to shape the future generation? When the children left home, I used my divorced status to look after someone else's child while she pursued her career. I worked in catering after my second marriage because of lack of qualifications and skills, gaining independence and pay for my effort. Both these jobskills were part of my earlier life.
Now we're retired, my husband and I share home-making duties. In the most simplified form, he does the shopping, cooking and dishes, I do the clothes washing and ironing, and sweep the floors etc. But we're getting old and no longer have the fire and drive of a young person. We're content in each other's company.
What do you think of women leaving their children for others to raise? Should men and women go back to traditional roles?
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