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Report: Stay-at-home moms are worth 6 figures a year

Posted May 21 2008, 09:24 AM by Karen Datko
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Want proof that stay-at-home moms would be earning a pretty good income if they were getting paid for their work? A report by Salary.com says the time SAHMs spend on 10 "mom job functions" -- including housekeeper and psychologist -- would bring $116,805 in the work world.

Full-time moms work an incredible amount of overtime at their jobs -- 54.4 hours a week above and beyond the normal 40, the Web site says.

In contrast, working mothers spend 54.6 hours total a week on mom stuff, in addition to their paying jobs. Their mom pay would be $68,405, according to Salary.com's calculations.

Both income estimates are down from what Salary.com reported last year because of a change in how they were calculated.

How much is your mom time worth? "Bitsy Pieces" at Bits of Pieces advises that you can use a wizard at Salary.com to figure out what your salary would be, based on how many kids you have, where you live, and how much time you spend on individual mom job functions.

Of course, not everyone agrees that these estimates are valid, and with good reason. MSN Money's Liz Pulliam Weston, in an article several years ago, called such statistics "codswallop" (sending us scurrying to the dictionary to look that up).

David at My Two Dollars takes a different approach. "I would venture to say that you cannot even put a number on their worth," he says. "Sure, there are moms who don't do much of anything, but the majority of moms work incredibly hard at being a good mom -- and sometimes are not really recognized for their work."

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Comments

 

Excuse me, Ridiculous but you definitely have the right name. Moms do much more than just "keep house". We cook, chauffeur, become a nurse, beautician, laundress, provide emergency services when a kid gets sick at school, coordinate parties, do all the household shopping and organizing, have to be made available 24-hours a day just in case something happens, take care of all the hubby's needs in addition to taking care of ourselves. Being a mom is a life-long learning experience which you cannot master by taking exams. Every second of the day is a test. Obviously you don't have any children to take care of. Hopefully for you, you would have to get some education and take an exam or two to have any relevant information on what you're talking about because it's apparent you haven't got a clue what you're talking about right now. Ignorance is a very dangerous disease. Get educated to become vaccinated. Thank you.

kiwigal (Posted 05.21.08 12:49 PM ) Report Abuse

For the housekeeping functions, yes.  But you forgot a very large portion of what SAHM's do: child care.  

Jen (Posted 05.21.08 12:49 PM ) Report Abuse

I agree with your view.  SAHM's do not all have a degree in psychology.  But in reality it would take more than a housekeeper being hired in some homes.  I am a SAHM to 5 kids.  It is more work than it seems and involves more than just cleaning the house.  In all honesty, I would rather work outside the home, at least then I would get breaks.......

SAHM of 5 (Posted 05.21.08 12:51 PM ) Report Abuse

Response to Ridiculous:  Get real!!  You sound like your pretty unappreciative/clueless of the things your mother, girlfriend, wife do for you.  I bet your a man, if not your probably a pretty lame excuse for a woman, cause most of us do carry the load.  Your just full of a load.  Peace-out .

Eat that!! (Posted 05.21.08 12:52 PM ) Report Abuse

Housekeepers and Moms do not perform the same fuctions, although moms performs the same work,  as a housekeepers...

There is not money in this world to pay a Mom that is why we are here for free, the love and satisfaction I receive worth it!!!!!!!

Loving Mom (Posted 05.21.08 12:53 PM ) Report Abuse

Apparently none of the below comments have tried it… Shame on you for downplaying the importance of staying at home and raising your children.  

Working my tail off as a SAHM (Posted 05.21.08 12:53 PM ) Report Abuse

I agree with Ridiculous.  Its like saying SAHMs should get nurses salaries because they provide aid to people in the household.  Truthfully there are some awesome SAHMs these days but trust me when I say this since I work at a place where 1/2 of the women we cater to are SAHMs, most SAHMs do don't as much as people think, especially once all the kids are in school.  All I hear about is how most of them sleep 1/2 the time and then try to rush around getting things done because they were being lazy most of the day.  The working parent, be it the mom or the dad doesnt see this stuff by the time they get home from work.  They think that their stay at home counterpart busted their butts all day at home.  Not to say all SAHMs are like that but I'd estimate 1/2 of them are pretty lazy to tell you the truth.

Ludicrous (Posted 05.21.08 12:53 PM ) Report Abuse

This is where the "radical feminists" really missed the point back in the 60's & 70's onwards: "MOM" is the most important job in any society. It's not just dollar equivalent for the housework she does. The number one thing - that money can't buy - is LOVE. Children are designed (by God, by Nature, by whatever) to grow up under the loving sunshine of their mothers (and/or close family members). Children were not designed to be institutionalized in daycare, left to fend for themselves as latchkey kids, or to be raised by a for-profit nanny/ au pair. Money can't buy the kind of love that children were designed to thrive on.

G-AZ (Posted 05.21.08 12:53 PM ) Report Abuse

Stay at home moms are lazy bon-bon eating leeches.  They should get a job.

Susan Sarandon (Posted 05.21.08 12:54 PM ) Report Abuse

Obviously nobody making comments is a mother!!!!  I am convinced after six years of college and two degrees that the skills I've learned from having four children far exceed the skills I've learned taking notes and writing papers.  To those of you who do not have children...WAKE UP!!!!

Mom of 4 (Posted 05.21.08 12:55 PM ) Report Abuse

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