Divorce. A husband losing his job. A husband dying. All of those, Bennetts warns, could be catastrophic for a woman and her children. And if the woman decides she'll get back to her career later, once the kids are ready? Stop dreaming, Bennetts says — a woman takes a huge salary hit after a relatively short time of being absent from the work force — that is, if she can get back in at all.
This author raises a very good point. Girls who either fail to receive an adequate education, or let their marketable skills decline, will have a very tough time re-entering the workplace if they need or wish to. I've told the girls in my high school Sunday School class that they need to be able to be self-reliant, and able to support a family in the event their husbands cannot.
At the same time, there are some careers that are tough to manage if you take time off. I wouldn't recommend someone who really wants to stay at home with her kids go to law school, for instance. Law is tough to stop and pick up again.
Thoughts?
Just this: Life is a crapshoot. You never know what might be lurking round the next corner, so be a good scout. Be prepared.
Yes, a woman who has spent a dozen or so years as a homemaker may not be able to immediately jump back into her former career. That does not necessarily mean that she may not be able to find work in the same field, perhaps a job with more flexibility, if something catastrophic should change her family dynamic. It all comes down to being able to market yourself and your life experiences. I wanted some mad money two years ago so I went to Dennys to apply for a waitressing job--just weekends, 10-15 hours, not jumping in the deep end or anythign. Typical question came up in the interview: "What qualities do you have that would make you an asset to the company?" This is a standard question, something ANY employer asks. I explained that as a homemaker, I am an expert at multi-tasking: I can get dinner started while helping kids with their homework while running loads of laundry. As a homemaker, I am an expert at handling money. As a homemaker, I am adept at reacting to quickly changing situations. I am able to think creatively. I am proactive, not reactive. This is true of every freeping mom I know, and I know most of 'em pretty well.
The young woman giving me the interview wanted to discuss something with the store manager; a short time later, the store manager came out, questioned me some more, then asked me if I was interested in training as a shift manager at a different store. I wasn't, but I started waiting tables two days later.
This was just an interview for a job I could take or leave, but a homemaker's skills are marketable to damn near any employer. A homemaker has tangible evidence of job performance, whether or not she realizes it. I handle all of our finances, and I would share with a potential employer my bank statements to show off my skills at handling finances. I would share with the employer my credit report. I would bring my kids' report cards in. It's all about creatively marketing yourself.
But back to the crap shoot, especially with regard to how uncertainty effects everyone. Homemakers MAY run a certain risk of giving up economic self-sufficiency--that is debatable. What about a woman who chooses a career path outside of homemaking for her husband and children--what if something catastrophic happens to her? What if she is laid off? What if she becomes physically incapable of working outside of the home? Her family would immediately lose an income source. How would that change their lifestyle? I wonder what Bennetts would say about that.