Should mothers be paid for the work they do at home?

Birds build a nest and raise a brood once at least, sometimes more, times a year. Different birds have a different economic strategy but many of them take turns to incubate the eggs and, when the brood hatches, both are working flat out to feed the chicks. We humans are not so very different. We have invented money as a way of exchanging work for food in our complicated economy but the basics are really much the same. Mothering is a full-time job, especially when the children are small. Too many people seem to think that 'job' = 'money' or earnings but this is not really the way it works. Somehow or other, a mother (and a father) have to see that their children and themselves are fed and have a good home. It is entirely a personal decision whether we should or should not have children and, once we have decided, it is not (nor should ever be) a 'job' for which we get paid by an 'employer' (either the husband or the government). It is a vocation - something we choose or aspire to do with our lives - like being a good person or travelling or getting education. In the mean time, bills have to be paid and food acquired and the house kept fit for living in (even comfortable) but these things are secondary and concomitant to the vocation we have chosen: somehow or other we have to arrange that these things are done. Some people actually choose to be single mothers from the start; most, unfortunately, find themselves in that situation because they have made unwise choices earlier in their lives. Very often, those choices are by no means their fault - they might have been avoided, though, through better education in the ways of men and in the emotional crises which people are likely to encounter. When two people decide to get together and start a family, that is no less of a vocational aspiration. It is not a matter of a husband gaining a slave (or, effectively, another mother) or of a wife expecting any recompense for her work in the home raising the family. If any return should be expected, it should be the normal 'give and take' of one person keeping themselves and their family in good things financially while the other keeps them in good things spiritually, emotionally and educationally. No, you cannot put a financial value on motherhood or home-making.

Hi Citychic, Being a housewife and that too a mere housewife is a thankless job.If you are a working housewife bringing in some revenue then at least there is some respect attached to her status. What you suggest might be a good idea , since all the other great sentiments attached to a wife and mother remain in print only..

I really can't say how I feel on this matter... I am a mother of two & do stay home & my husband works outside home... I think it's just what I do & I would do it with or without pay... I did hear a long time ago that they were talking about giving stay at home mom's a small check monthly from the stare for all mothers who didn't work outside the home, but like always these things take time to actually come in effect. I am curious what others feel on this matter... Also want to add that yes being a mother is hard work.... but we also chose to be mothers...

No, for the following reasons. There are many activities we undertake for which we can get paid if we do them for someone else but not if we do them for ourselves. So, if I repair someone's car, I can charge for it but not for repairing my own, since when I repair my own I benefit. Similarly, if I lay out someone's garden I can charge but not for laying out my own. So, the work a mother does is for the benefit of her and her own. She is both client and contractor if you like. all the best urban

The work they do is definitely valuable. Problem is, where would the money come from?

Agreed it is a job hard enough to be paid for. It would never happen (at least in money form) because customers are their household. They are hopefully paid for in love, support, encouragement, and stuff like that. It would also be hard to gauge the amount of work they do compared to others. Some people work very hard inside the home while others let it go. They would say it is a mother's choice to become one-except when it's not, and they have some things (sort of) to help alleviate the stress of their unwanted duties.

i personally don't think so because a mother's love is what is called unconditional love... no amount of money can ever replace a mother's love... it is priceless... it will lower the worthiness of a mother's love if people start to trade a mother's love with money... what a mother do at home is their roles and responsibilities as a mother... so i'm sorry if i am against for a mother getting paid for doing their motherly duties... this is my opinion... take care and have a nice day...

Hi, Citychic! Yes, they should be, but they are not. With me, I will just do it all for free. But, being that I am not working at all, I would love to have some extra money to have on the side. But, I don't want to be paid for taking care of my kids. Just my time being at home managing the house. It would be nice to get some money for all of my hard work that I am doing. Being a mother is the hardest job to do, I admit! I do it all of the time, and I have three little ones that I have to tend to. But, by the grace of God, I do it!!!

I see your point! It's not just the money, but the fact that she often has to do all work at home - working outside the house or not. If the family decided that the woman should stay at home - she has to get some money for herself as well (from the husband) I know some families where the woman only can spend money she earned by her self - it doesn't work for a long time. I think it's important that the father takes time to be together with his children and not just work.

For some reason I am happy to see someone post this. I am tired of my hubby telling me it's your job, and then get mad that I bring nothing in income wise. So 6 months ago I went and got a job and contribute financially more then he does but yet it is still MY job, even though he is home more then me and on my days off when I want to do nothing I get yelled at but on his days off he is allowed to do what he wants to do and I can't? maybe if their was respect or you paid me it would get done on my days off.

Hello Citychic Being a Chinese, I learn from my parents that we should finanically support our parents, my parents support my grandparents and it's my turn to support my parents now. So all the families I know in Hong Kong, they all finanically support their parents, and those moneys was given to their mothers, and mothers will allocate the sum of money among her family or for her own use. Of course, there are also exception and some parents are not paid by their childerns, or maybe there are reasons why they do that. But it is very difficult to calculate the pay rate to a mother, you know, it is hard to judge how much a mother worth. So we support our parents the best we can do and hope they can have a better living conditions.

I dont think mothers need to be paid for what they do at home, i think they just need some more respect from the family member for what they had done.

i am a daughter.everyday,i see my mother cooking for my father and me,then tidy up everything.it's too pitiful to let mother do housework when they finish her whole day jobs

Work athome mother,it is maternal factors,any one of hard work at home mother,it is they must do.if paid, it isnot possible to realize the great maternal love,maternal love is unselfish,if the payment is an employmentrelationship,it lost the meaning of love.

You are paid by the appreciation of your family.(maybe not your husband,but your kids)Being a mother is a choice.If you want to get paid for it,babysit someone elses kids. Yes,it's one of the hardest jobs there are,but it was your choice to do it.Make the best of it and be happy.

I think that's a wonderful idea. That should be something that comes from a government agency or something you know? Like if the mom wants to stay home and work, the government could send a certain salary every month, it probably wouldn't be much but it would be something. That would be pretty cool idea I think.

I definetly think Mums should be paid.. Its hard work being a mum and every female was made to be a mum. I think instead of just having a mother's day they should be also have a compensation package for all those wonderful mums out there as it is a 24/7 job and she cant quit, retire or get fired so yes mums deserve to be PAID!

no.. if mothers will be paid, they would rather apply as house helper. i dont consider motherhood as a job. its a noble act for a woman to dedicate her time and energy doing household chores for her husband and kids when she decided to have her own family.. paying them would hurt their ego.

Its depend on the situation, i don't see it mother should be paid for the work thery do at home but rather giving something in return or paying maybe its just a form of gratitude for helping not necessarily paying. I still do believed when you love someone it should not be conditional but its should be unconditional. I don't see anything wrong by paying or giving something on return as necessary or needed, for me its just an expression of thanks nothing else.

No it will never become a law, no they shouldn't get paid, yes it is a hard job. I think a homemaker should not be paid because when married you have a pact, a partnership to cooperate. A homemaker should be rewarded with about once a month with something by using whatever spare money they have left. A worker gets paid but it should go to important things. Including bills, food, etc.