I've read that this crappy economy has put more men out of work than women. And some unemployed men have given up looking for work to become stay at home Dads.
This means women are now in the majority in the workforce and more men are taking care of the kids and the home—the job my Mom friends call the best and worst in the world.
So how are newly minted breadwinner Moms feeling about their new role? The ones I know are struggling.
They're conflicted. On one hand, they’re happy their husbands get to spend more time with the kids and to gain newfound appreciation for the demands of parenting. But they also resent that their husband is no longer earning an income. More than one of them has said that this is not what she signed up for. She thought she and her husband would be sharing the financial burden.
The truth is, being the sole source of income for your family--whether you're a Mom or Dad--is scary.
What's going to happen to these families? And to these marriages? As the economy continues to sputter, households will continue to be turned upside down. And my friends will continue to be put to the test. I'm hoping they'll find ways to renegotiate the most important social contract of all--their marriage contract. But I'm a little worried.
How about you?
Moms who have picked up the financial slack—when you and your husband decided to have children, was this part of the deal? Are you feeling duped? Or are you resigned to being the sole provider?
Stay-at-home Dads—how do you feel about your Baby Daddy status? Is your wife supportive? Are you loving it? Or are you wishing like hell you could get your old job back?