Do you believe that the traditional model of the American family; breadwinning father, stay-at-home/domestic mother and at least two kids is a desirable image to strive for?

IMO it's something to avoid.

Why avoid it? Never did hear a good argument to avoid it. I think it's a noble goal. Although 2 kids seems a bit small.

You just described my family.


My mother wasn't just a domestic though, she home schooled us and also found jobs she could do from home, for the radio, for medical transcribing, etc. I think the term is nuclear family. Or maybe that's just the size of the family, two parents and two children. We managed to make it work but for a lot of people it fails miserably.

When starting a family, it might not be the best idea to mold yourself into a box.

Can a family afford to have a stay home Mom? I guess if the husband is making a nice whopping salary then its possible.

Tony Marino wrote:

Can a family afford to have a stay home Mom? I guess if the husband is making a nice whopping salary then its possible.

I know several families where the mother stays at home and the husband doesn't make a whopping salary. Dual incomes and affordability don't necessarily go hand in hand.

Chris wrote:

Do you believe that the traditional model of the American family; breadwinning father, stay-at-home/domestic mother and at least two kids is a desirable image to strive for?

I see nothing wrong with this kind of household, but I think people need to strive for what works for them and what makes them happy instead of trying to conform to what people think they should be. Forget trying to conform because nothing good ever came from being like everyone else.

Forgiveness Man wrote:

Although 2 kids seems a bit small.

You wouldn't be saying that if you were the one who was giving birth.

I think it's rather pedestrian. I'm all for family, but I don't strive to model it after the "Donna Reed Show".

MandyPerfumeGirl wrote:

Forgiveness Man wrote:

Although 2 kids seems a bit small.

You wouldn't be saying that if you were the one who was giving birth.

Sorry, but you're just flat out wrong. I know women who have happily given birth to well over 6 children. So sorry, but gender has absolutely nothing top do with it. If anything, a guy is less likely to want more kids.

I think that type of situation is very beneficial to the kids. Having parents do all the rearing is a huge benefit, in my opinion. But that opinion is not shared by everyone, as people do what works for them. I couldn't be a mom who stays home and doesn't work from home. I couldn't not earn my own money.

My wife and I both worked, but when we first got to Miami in early '80s she got an evening job at a runaway shelter for teens and I had a job with disabled adults during school hours.

So, I was the one at home every night with the stepdaughter from age 13 to 18. I did the supper, helped with homework and pretty much kept the homestead together.

Not entirely the traditional American family.

(Daughter got pissed sometimes that her mom was never home and I told her she could always run away?)

Chris wrote:

Do you believe that the traditional model of the American family (bread-winning father, stay-at-home/domestic mother, and at least two kids) is a desirable image to strive for?

No I think it's a stifling, jaded and frankly outdated model that more and more people today realize doesn't guarantee personal fulfillment.