How Much is a Mom's Work Worth?

We all know a mother's work is never done. But just how much is mother's work worth? Well, according to a Mother's Day study from Salary.com, a mom's labors would bring nearly $117,000 dollars a year.

[Nuttjob]

OK, this comes around every year, and I have to set my wife straight each year with one question. "Who is your employer?" When she says me (her husband), I respond that I will now begin treating her like an employee and thus begin to micromanage her. She quickly reverses her course of action and says that she is now "self employed" and that she is in partnership with me. As God intended it to be. Remember that it is Adam & Eve, not Adam and Steve or Alice & Eve. ;-)

[bless all mothers]

A womans work is never done, 24 hrs a day. Lets say if was not for a woman men would be like lost animals.

[IGOR]

When you begin doing without it you'll see how much it's worth. LOL.

[SC is ASZ Backwards]

And as a dad I also do all those things mentioned in the article (housekeeper, day care center teacher, van driver, psychologist and CEO) PLUS landscaper, mechanic, plumber, electrician, painter, etc). Am I more valuable than mom? No; but neither is she more valuable than I. So what is the point of this so-called study besides someone having nothing better to do than stir a pot that doesn't need stirred?

[Hannah]

I am a stay at home Mom of three under 5. Two boys and a baby girl. I would love to be paid for what I do and get a job title other than Mom. I will be reentering the workforce soon. I wish I could just get paid for all I do now...Thanks for the artical it might put some insight on what Mom's really do...

[Nuttjob]

Oh but you can get paid now. Go on welfare! It's a hard knock life toots! Next time keep the old thighs a little closer together.

Hannah wrote:

I am a stay at home Mom of three under 5. Two boys and a baby girl. I would love to be paid for what I do and get a job title other than Mom. I will be reentering the workforce soon. I wish I could just get paid for all I do now...Thanks for the artical it might put some insight on what Mom's really do...

[Just too funny]

Nuttjob wrote:

Oh but you can get paid now. Go on welfare! It's a hard knock life toots! Next time keep the old thighs a little closer together.
<quoted text>

My husband completely agrees with you! But back to the article. I have two children and I love them dearly. I cannot sit at home, though - I'd go absolutely crazy trying to become the next Betty Crocker. If you can be at home that's great, but I did the next best thing - I got GREAT daycare! I split the household chores with my darling and I must say we are well on our way to happily ever after. AND with two incomes, we're able to afford more things for our children - things we didn't have growing up. I never miss an opportunity to teach my children a lesson. In this case, the lesson is that nothing in life will come to you. If you want it, you must be willing to work for it. Welfare is not an option. I also must say that my husband does way more than I do. He keeps our home and vehicles in tip top shape - all I do is make it pretty and smell nice and occasion, I give them food...hahahaha

[old salt dog]

who can put a price on the love of a mother?

[Nuttjob]

Dang, that is just a sad story. But you sound like my wife. If I had known that she couldn't handle being a Mom, we wouldn't have gotten married. Now I just muddle through life putting up with her whims and fancies so she doesn't go "crazy". Not sure if she'll hang around after the kids are grown. Yeah, mine is a sad story too.

Just too funny wrote:

<quoted text>
My husband completely agrees with you! But back to the article. I have two children and I love them dearly. I cannot sit at home, though - I'd go absolutely crazy trying to become the next Betty Crocker. If you can be at home that's great, but I did the next best thing - I got GREAT daycare! I split the household chores with my darling and I must say we are well on our way to happily ever after. AND with two incomes, we're able to afford more things for our children - things we didn't have growing up. I never miss an opportunity to teach my children a lesson. In this case, the lesson is that nothing in life will come to you. If you want it, you must be willing to work for it. Welfare is not an option. I also must say that my husband does way more than I do. He keeps our home and vehicles in tip top shape - all I do is make it pretty and smell nice and occasion, I give them food...hahahaha

[Sunshine]

I don't understand where you get the idea that stay-at-home Moms just sit at home all day! Of course I can't speak for all SAHM's, but my days were pretty busy!! Not only did I do the exact job that daycare workers do (and get paid for), but I did the grocery shopping, meal planning and preparing, laundry and mending, kept the house clean, mowed the lawn, planted and weeded flowerbeds, made the Christmas gifts that we gave to relatives, volunteered to help out in our children's schools and helped with school parties and field trips, made sure all the bills were paid on time, kept the kitty litter box clean, carried out the trash, made a lot of the clothes that the children and I wore, helped with homework...I could go on and on. stay-at-home Moms are not "just sitting at home doing nothing", they are working 24 hours a day just like "working" Moms are, but without the money or being able to talk to other adults all day. There is no such thing as a non-working Mom.

[Stating the obvious]

Sunshine wrote:

I don't understand where you get the idea that stay-at-home Moms just sit at home all day! Of course I can't speak for all SAHM's, but my days were pretty busy!! Not only did I do the exact job that daycare workers do (and get paid for), but I did the grocery shopping, meal planning and preparing, laundry and mending, kept the house clean, mowed the lawn, planted and weeded flowerbeds, made the Christmas gifts that we gave to relatives, volunteered to help out in our children's schools and helped with school parties and field trips, made sure all the bills were paid on time, kept the kitty litter box clean, carried out the trash, made a lot of the clothes that the children and I wore, helped with homework...I could go on and on. stay-at-home Moms are not "just sitting at home doing nothing", they are working 24 hours a day just like "working" Moms are, but without the money or being able to talk to other adults all day. There is no such thing as a non-working Mom.

Minus the kitty litter box, my mom did everything when my siblings and I were growing up that you do now. One of the things I appreciated most (which seems small, but really made a difference) is that when one of us was sick at school, there was someone to pick us up without any inconvenience at work. We were by no means rich, but my father was paid well enough to allow my mother to stay home with us. I realize that in many families, that is simply not an option.

I'm really tired of the "debate" about whether mothers should work or not...some working mothers say they don't have the economic means to stay at home, some SAHM's say they don't want someone else raising their kids, as well as a myriad of other points. The fact is that whether you work or not, you have to spend quality time with your children, and make sure they know they're loved, wanted and appreciated.

As "old salt dog" said, you cannot put a price on a mother's love.