Stay-at-home mothers should pull in $117,856

http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/2250656,CST-NWS-mom09.article

Surveys cover value, numbers, Mother's Day gifts, TV figures

May 8, 2010

SUN-TIMES STAFF

On this Mother's Day, it's tough out there for moms:

Six-figure job?

In its annual estimate, salary.com says the time mothers spend performing the 10 most common "mom job functions" -- such as making meals and driving kids around, as well as keeping the house in order -- would equate to an annual salary of $117,856 for a stay-at-home mom.

Working mothers would earn $71,860 for their mom duties above their at-work paychecks. These salaries are down 4 percent and 6 percent, respectively, from the 2009 calculations.

"Like many of us, moms are working more hours, and it is no surprise that this year, the challenging economy impacted the results of our Mom Salary Survey," said Brent Kleiman of Salary.com.

The company bases its annual salary on what various professions are paid, including laundry machine operator, janitor, housekeeper, cook, psychologist and facilities manager.

...taxi service, auto maintenance, etc., etc., etc.

So yeah, we ALL make valuable contributions to the family. That's what being a family is all about. We shouldn't need bogus monetary valuation to justify our self worth. It's a sorry day when all value has to be measured in dollars.

Oh...Geez...we forgot about that...

person.

They do much of what Moms do for bunches of people, but do not make a fraction of $117,856.

Same goes for rest home workers.

Some people have maids or au pairs raising their kids. They aren't making $117,856 either.

Even adjusting for 7 days a week and longer work days, I cannot see where they get that figure.

The au pair takes care of kids, but is not "raising" them. A parent still has to keep up with school, health, extra-curriculars, etc. A parent has to manage and shop for the meals, or hire a cook or nutritionist, which is money on top of the au pair. A parent has to clean the house and do laundry, because the au pair and cook are not doing that, or hire a housekeeper. Then there is the management and scheduling of household repairs and repairmen. Somebody has to manage the budget, balance the checkbook, pay the bills, compile tax info or do the taxes; since there probably isn't a bookkeeper doing that. My mother did the yard work as well, and often planted a garden. It adds up.

It's the stuff of maintaining a home.

My wife and I do all of that, but nobody's calculating our time.

I think that highlighting that calculation for moms is more about their hard work rather than the 'market value' of their duties.

Nobody is paying me to maintain my own life.

(Again, I am not putting down the honorable and necessary lives of moms or any parent. Not looking for an argument here. :-) )

It's not the same. I have my grandkids during the week and it is just not anywhere near the same.

the added stress on family and increase in expense will about make that paycheck worthless or the amount i could bring in.

so the bottomline for me is sittin in a comfort that i know what i do is the best for me and the family

that is good enough for me.....

me. When I cook for 4 and I am one of the 4, 25% has to be deducted since I benefit. Oh well lol.

Msongs

I know SOME stay at home moms who don't do jack sh**.
They have nannies and maids.

My mom does A LOT for the house and our family and I don't take it for granted.

And does that mean people without kids are practically worthless?

it's now family values. No family, no value.

I say no fair.

for the same jobs. I am a single dad and work full time. Looks like I should make about 100k above my salary. Wonder if I can negotiate that this summer. :)

How much more do I get paid for not whining and complaining about my "job?"

J

No one pays you by the hour if you are self-employed or have a small business.

But the height of ridiculousness nonetheless. :)

and the rewards are incalculable.

Truer words have never been spoken.

which is that women are more likely to live in poverty when they're older. All those years spent staying home with the kids or working reduced hours or at lower pay in order to find a job that's compatible with parenting make for lower social security benefits later.