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The Battalion
Page 3 • Wednesday, October 9, 2002
To work, or not to work
Students debate staying home or pursuing careers after graduation
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By Nishat Fatima
THE BATTALION
Lela Flores does not believe a
woman’s place is in the home. Flores,
a freshman general studies major, said
women should not have to choose
between a career and a family.
“The reason why I’m getting edu
cated is to work one day,” Flores said,
‘[think that it’s important to have a
career. When I have children. I’ll prob
ably look into some good child care
programs but still make time for them
and their needs. There is always room
for everything when you make the time
for it.”
According to the U.S. government
Bureau of Labor Statistics and the
Census Current Population Reports,
50.6 percent of married mothers with
achild under one-year-old were
employed in 2001, while 53.4 per
cent were employed in 1997.
The number of employed single
moms saw an increase from 43.4 per
cent to 48.5 percent in the same four-
year period, but married moms are sill
more likely to have a job than unmar
ried mothers.
On May 21, 2002, USA Today
reported that a 2000 census survey
revealed a small decline in the number
of women returning to the work force
during their child’s First year of life.
These mothers usually went on to
resume their career when the child
grew older.
Dr. Barbara Finlay, director of the
women’s studies department and asso
ciate professor of sociology at Texas
A&M, said these statistics indicate a
change, but there is not a significant
decrease of mothers in the work force.
“There is some evidence that young
mothers are waiting a bit longer when
they can to return to work after having
a child,” Finlay said. “However, most
new mothers cannot afford to not work
at all, and part time and flexible hours
are not always available.”
a
We let go of all tradi
tional gender roles in our
house. We've realized that
being in a family is a joint
efforty and everybody has
to pitch in.
— David Frederick
Class of 1981
Many students have different opin
ions of how motherhood and career
conflict can be settled, others don’t con
sider full-time motherhood an option.
However, many women would
rather focus on their role as homemak
er rather than breadwinner.
Kristen Swilley, a junior finance
major, said she wants to be a home
maker after she has children. Swilley
said when she has children she won’t
be leaving them in a day care.
“Day cares almost seem like a pro
duction line to me,” Swilley said. “You
send your kids through, let them grow
up, and when you have them back,
they are trained. I really want to be
there every step of the way for my
kids. I want to help them become who
they are.”
Teresa Sajewski, a freshman poul
try science major, said she agrees
with Swilley.
“When 1 have kids. I’ll probably
put my career on hold and pick it up
after my kids are older,” Sajewski said.
“I think that it’s very important that
my children become my number one
priority. I want to be there to witness
all of their first words and steps.”
Dr. Finlay said many people would
love to stay home with their kids, but
usually can’t afford it.
“A lot of women plan to stay at
home full time after they have kids,
but they find out that its economically
challenging to survive on one income
today,” Finlay said. “Usually women
with a high level of economic stability
can manage to stay home long after
they have children.”
Sajewski said that if she ever has
economic problems in the future, she
would be willing to work during the
early years of her children.
“If I find myself in a situation where
I have to work, then I’ll try my hardest
to find a job that works around their
schedule,” Sajewski said. “If I can’t do
that, then I’ll probably leave my kids
with a relative while I’m at work.”
Many Aggie moms, such as Kenda
Frederick, have had the chance to stay
at home with their kids. Frederick,
Class of 1981, said she stayed home
and donned the role of the “traditional
mom” for a while. That experience is
one she wouldn’t trade for anything
else, she said.
“When I was in college and high
school I never thought I would ever
stay at home with the kids,” Frederick
said. “But when I did, I got the chance
to really appreciate my three children
and realize the hard work it took to
make them what they are today. I
wouldn’t have had it any other way.”
Though it may seem unconvention
al, some Aggie dads also stay home to
raise their kids.
Frederick's husband David, also
Class of 1981, said he has spent time
as “Mr. Mom.”
“I don’t think that any man out
there thinks that he’ll be at home with
the kids at any point of his life,” he
said. “Most people think they will end
up in the traditional man woman roles.
RUBEN DELUNA • THE BATTALION
But after working for a few years, I
stayed home while my wife worked.”
Mr. Frederick said sharing responsi
bilities is the best way to run a family.
“We let go of all traditional gender
roles in our house,” he said. “We’ve
realized that being in a family is a joint
effort, and everybody lias to pitch in.”
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