Keeping it Together

September 24, 2008

Keeping it Together

By David Rice M.A., M.A. L.P.C.

driceonline@yahoo.com

 I grew up in a time when men and women had distinct roles. The main function for mom was to take care of the home, raise the children, and care for her husband. Not many women

were in the workforce, and those that worked frequently did it for a little extra to supplement things at home. In return, men were to work hard, sometimes two or more jobs, to supply the income to provide for the family. When a man reached 65, he retired with a watch or a plaque and drove his wife crazy until he died of boredom a couple of years later. We knew what was expected of us, and we tried to fulfill our roles. When it came to sex, we just didn’t do it before marriage because we may be making a baby. If a pregnancy happened, then a marriage was sure to follow. During my lifetime, things have changed dramatically. These days, a woman is supposed to plan for a career other than raising children. If children came along, they are now often cared for by nannies, babysitting, or grandparents. We get locked into commitments of having to work, because easy credit has encouraged us to buy what we really can’t afford, based on two incomes. Instead of marriage, we are encouraged to live with someone first, and then if  we feel o.k. about them, we may or may not get married. Children are growing up raised by strangers, and we look at them when they get older and don’t understand why they turned out the way they did. I have a radical suggestion. Let’s go back to the days of living within our means, living on one income, and raising our own children. I’m sure we can make the world a better place by putting first things first.

See you next week.

 

 

 

Posted by Rita | Filed Under Keeping it Together 

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