OLD TAPPAN, N.J., Oct. 16, 2009
Women are Half of all U.S. Workers
Mothers are Primary Breadwinners or Co-breadwinners in Nearly Two-Thirds of American Families
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Play CBS Video Video Women Rise in Workforce According to a new poll, nearly 40 percent of mothers say they're the primary breadwinners in their households. Seth Doane reports the recession is playing a big role in this transformation.
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Working Mom Laura Long is the breadwinner in her family. (CBS)
Her husband Russ lost his job last year. Now, instead of managing securities on Wall Street, Russ attempts to manage the house.
"He's doing the best he can, but he's not a mom," said Laura.
When we first met the Longs nine months ago - Laura had just started a part-time job as a nurse. Now with Russ' job prospects uncertain, she's gone full-time.
"It's kind of like the opposite now," said their son Louis. "Because it used to be my dad gets home and now my mom gets home."
"I feel like I'm never at home anymore," said Laura. "I miss my kids. I miss being at home."
Jobless Execs Face Tough Lifestyle Changes
The Shriver Report, Poll
The Long's family story is becoming the new normal, since almost 40 percent of mothers are the main wage-earner. That's difficult economically because women earn 77 cents to every dollar men make.
And when the recession began in late 2007, men and women shared the same unemployment rate - 4.4 percent. But by this September, there was a gap: men 10.3 percent compared to 7.8 percent for women - as male-dominated jobs were hit hardest.
That means change in the workplace and at home. Things don't always run smoothly.
"There are two issues - dinner and homework," said Russ. "Those are always the two issues, because I don't always think much about dinner. I figure, oh, we'll whip something together."
Ben, their son, said, "mom always wants dinner to be perfect."
It can be hard for mothers to redefine their role, says Ellen Galinsky of the "Families and Work Institute."
"She used to be the one at home making sure they weren't eating ice cream for dinner," said Galinsky. "Now she's going to depend on someone else - and that's pretty scary."
Even as the family dynamic shifts, a new poll suggests the old way still looks pretty good. More than half of both men and women agree that "it is better for a family if the father works outside the home and the mother takes care of the children."
The Long kids disagree.
Doane said, "Ben told me he liked having Russ (dad) at home."
"I'm sure he does," Laura replied. "Because he's a lot more lenient than me!"
Despite the growing pains, the Longs feel lucky.
Ben said, "I think that me and my brother have gotten to bond with my dad a lot more."
By accelerating change, the recession is redefining the roles in American family life.
© MMIX, CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Add a Comment See all 17 Comments
- by Cyber998 October 17, 2009 12:30 AM EDT
LOL, your post is a joke right? First you say women are good at multitasking then say they are too perfectionist. Bit of an oxymoron there.
Cyber998 can you please explain how multitasking and being a perfectionist are oxymoron's???? - Reply to this comment
- "He's doing the best he can, but he's not a mom," said Laura. She really said that???? What a horrible generalization. Can you imagine if her husband said "She's doing the best she can working, but she's not a man"???
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- There was another story on here just a few days ago saying that women are becoming less happy every year and men are about the same.
Poor women. They were hoodwinked by feminists into believing that they'd looooove working outside the home. Most of them (not all)absolutely hate it.
But now marketers have discovered that families make "twice" as much since Mom is also working so everything costs double what it used to. One worker per family used to be able to provide, but not now.
Were women really miserable before they charged into the workplace? Probably not. But you don't have any choice now, ladies.
Get back to work. - Reply to this comment
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- daffy64 - Your statements make a lot of sense. There is more to consider. Our lifestyles demand much more today than what our parents and grandparents had. In the 1950's, families with automobiles usually had just one, not the two, three, and four cars that we see in many driveways. Not only that, many families did not have cars but depended on buses, rides from neighbors, and their thumbs. Homes were much smaller and bare-bones in the 1950's and 1960's. It was not uncommon for a newly married couple to live with parents or in laws, then a small apartment, then a small starter home, and then a larger home. Young families today seem compelled to have everything sooner. Most people would be horrified at the prospect of not having cell phones, cable television, computers, satellite radio, etc. Few of these things existed twenty or thirty years ago.
- One of the reasons why women are more representative in the workforce is they make less money than their husnbands and contribute more to the company's line in cost savings. They are good at multitasking but there productivity is less than their male counterparts in some industries. In other words men can get more things accomplished in a shorter period because they are not as anal as women are. Women are perfectionists to a fault, and because they take longer, they make less in many industries. Sorry ladies I know first hand only too well.
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- "Women are perfectionists to a fault, and because they take longer, they make less in many industries"
LOL, your post is a joke right? First you say women are good at multitasking then say they are too perfectionist. Bit of an oxymoron there.
Everyone has a different personality and all jobs require different skill-sets. Only the dim-minded over-generalizes all people into such simplistic groupings.
- "Women are perfectionists to a fault, and because they take longer, they make less in many industries"
- The catch being that the family is dying, and America may not be far behind it.
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- You can thank Corporate America for that. Decades ago a one-person income is enough for a family. Now two working parents can barely make ends meet. And of course they both have to work to keep health insurance in case one person gets laid off, thanks to our stupid employment-based health care system.
- You can thank Corporate America for that. Decades ago a one-person income is enough for a family. Now two working parents can barely make ends meet. And of course they both have to work to keep health insurance in case one person gets laid off, thanks to our stupid employment-based health care system.
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Statistically women are "less happy" than ever before (in polling history).
Men are about the same.
And feminists would have young women believe the key to their future happiness is their job. Nonsense. Women do not place much emphasis on their jobs for happiness.
I'm not sure what makes women happy and contented but apparently, work ain't it.
- I think the workforce world will be a better place with more women out there. Women are great multitaskers. I think more men should stay home and take care of the children. I am all for it. And it sets a great example for children to see dad doing housework and cooking. Men should stay home and take care of their children and off the golf courses and out of the bars !!!
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- Women are better at multitasking than men? Wow. What a generalization.
That hasn't been my experience but hey, if you think most women want to do a nine to five stresser, then come home and deal with the kids, go for it!
It's only fair that we men stay home and watch TV and do the "backbreaking" work of housecleaning for a couple of decades to even things out.
P.S. Most women who have a male that wants to stay home with the kids shortly become very frustrated at their "lazy" husband who "doesn't want to work".
- Actually, studies have shown that men NOR women are good at multitasking. The brain can't handle it.
- Women are better at multitasking than men? Wow. What a generalization.
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