In Praise of Stay-at-Home Moms (Hardcover)

~ Dr. Laura Schlessinger (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

They number in the millions and they are incredibly important to families and to our society, yet they are underappreciated, little respected, and even controversial.

Who are they?

They are the stay-at-home moms.

These are women who know in their hearts that staying home to raise their children is the right choice for the whole family. Some do it from the outset of their marriages, while others make the difficult transition from career-driven women to homemakers. Either way, it is a choice that is incredibly rich and rewarding, not to mention challenging.

Now Dr. Laura, building on principles developed during her long career as a licensed marriage and family therapist, provides a wealth of advice and support, as well as compassion and inspiration, to women as they navigate the wonders and struggles of being stay-at-home moms.

Learn how:

• to hold your head high and deal with naysayers;
• to see the benefits of being home not only for your children but also for your marriage;
• to understand the changes you see in yourself;
• to realize that the sacrifices you endure now will make for lasting bonds and a stronger family, in addition to a more cohesive community.

In Praise of Stay-at-Home Moms is a special book, a profound and unique understanding of how important it is for mothers to raise their own children.

From the Back Cover

Building on the principles developed during her long career as a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, Dr. Laura will encourage and enrich the lives of women who chose to stay home and take care of their families -- her largest listening audience. Learn how to thrive out of the workplace and confront the common misconceptions about nature of the “job.” Dr. Laura offers readers a profound and unique underestanding of how important it is to raise your own children, and how stay-at-home moms ultimately benefit this country as a whole.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 224 pages
• Publisher: Harper; 1 edition (April 7, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0061690295
• ISBN-13: 978-0061690297
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.8 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (65 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #25,625 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

78 of 89 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Did the Feminist Movement Really Give Us What We Wanted?, April 8, 2009

By	Ladycritic "Ladycritic" (Northeast US) - See all my reviews

I purchased this book for my daughter, who is juggling a job with three small children. I read it from cover to cover before I passed it on to her. It brought back many poignant memories of my youth, and the attitude in the late '60s and early '70s towards being a housewife and "stay-at-home" mom. I think my personal story may bring things in perspective, and support the value of this book.

In the '60s-70s, the Feminist movement was in full swing. Of course, this movement had its rightful place, as did the Civil Rights movement that ran concurrently to the Feminist platform, since so many women were discriminated against and denied their rights in the workplace. We definitely have to understand the rage that minorities and women experienced when they were denied advantages given the white male majority. That goes without argument.

I am a woman of 60 years. I, too, as Dr. Laura, became a "Feminista" in those years, as I was outraged that women were not given the same guidance and advantages as our male counterparts. However, we were also very much brainwashed into thinking all men were evil and manipulative. We were not taught the joy of a true loving partnership with our husbands. In fact, we were encouraged to be in competition with them!

In that tumultuous time in our history, had I expressed among my friends and associates the desire to just be a loving wife and mother to my family, I would have been denigrated and dismissed. Actually, despite the Feminist movement, I opted for full time motherhood in the early 70s. Despite my happiness at staying home to nurture my children, I always felt embarrassed when I was asked, "Well, what do you DO?" In those days, your position or career determined your worth as a female..NOT your value as a mother.

When my children were in their early teens, I unfortunately became a single mother and was forced to return to the job force. I worked over two decades for a company that summarily dismissed me a few months ago. They found a younger, cheaper version of myself, despite my giving 100 percent to this company for so many years. So much for all the "glory" my career ever brought me. I'm wondering, how many working mothers are toiling for similar companies, who discard them when their usefulness is over?

What fools these mortals be, thinking that their mundane jobs provide self worth? There are exceptions, of course, but I do encourage all those working mothers out there to think about what they truly are contributing to "society" and how much they should be contributing, instead, to their own children.

They might think about this: After a certain age, when their neglected children are adults, they may find, as I did, that my stellar "career" brought me neither fortune or fame. Of course, if you are a famous brain surgeon or space scientist, this may not apply to you. But let's face it, probably 90 percent of working mothers are employed in jobs like I had, where we are just working stiffs doing our job for the sake of some company and our pay checks.

Finally, and most importantly, what remains of my "stay at home" years is the beautiful relationship I still have with my beloved children. Those years gave me the opportunity to bond and raise them in serenity, with wonderful moments that cannot be described here. In sum, my personal glory (after my significant "career") is in my dear, well-adjusted children and my grandchildren. My daughter, incidentally, is making great strides in becoming a stay-at-home mom, and I am proud of her!

Of course I realize there are some circumstances that are beyond a mother's control, and she is forced to work to feed her family. But how many women are out there who are working just for more income to buy that bigger house, those flat-screen TVs, designer clothes, and all those electronic gadgets, etc. etc. etc?

Furthermore, I venture to write that if a woman is so committed to a career that she wishes to devote her entire life to that venture, she should choose, as Kathryn Hepburn did so long ago, not to bring children into the world that she could not personally raise.

I truly commend Dr. Laura for having the courage to tout this new argument to the nation. It is high time. I was a Feminista. I've been there, done that, and I know deep in my heart that a mother's place is with her children. If we could bring every mother back into the home, our country would be in such a better place, removed of so much turmoil because this nation's children would be infused with love, and not the pain of neglect.

Thank you for allowing me to express this opinion.

31 of 35 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Real Benefit of 2nd Income, April 9, 2009

By	MomOf3 (Ohio) - See all my reviews

Ok, I know this is a bit technical but well worth deciphering. I'm glad to see it's risen to front page status, because parents need to make an informed decision. Please leave a comment to let me know what you think.
I am a CPA and have been a SAHM for 18 years. Many are shocked to know that I have skills and chose to stay at home. I have been puzzled for years why more couples haven't figured out how little of the 2nd income they keep, after taxes and day care. I figured it out years ago & like John Galt, checked out. I have talked many couples into having one stay at home, by explaining it from a financial perspective (not to mention all the other reasons, especially that you might as well sign up for a slew of ear infections & tubes in the ears, if you put a baby in daycare.)
It helps to understand how much of the second income you actually keep, on an after-tax basis. When your taxable income rises above $65,000 you are in a 25% FIT (federal income tax) rate. Add 7.5% for FICA and state & local taxes of 5%, leaving you with 62 cents of each additional dollar earned. Daycare can easily run be another 20%, plus the expenses of working outside the home (car, clothes, gas, eating out). So, if the second income causes taxable income to exceed $65,000, you may only be keeping 40 cents of each additional hard earned dollar. Not including the phase-out of the Child Tax Credit as AGI exceeds $110,000.
There is no question that whatever choice a mother makes, it is stressful. I think it's a matter of choice, which stress you choose. My conclusion is this was not a privilege, it was an obligation. It wasn't easier having 3 in less than 4 years. For my sanity, it would have been easier to drop them at daycare, however, I might have been paying to work with 3 in daycare, after taxes.
I am in awe of my kids, brings me to tears how well they're doing. My son is Valedictorian, is QB in football & center in basketball, my 15 year old daughter ran a 5:10 1600m and finished 6th in state for XC and my youngest ran a 5:32 in his first 1600m. I'm alone all day, every day from 7-5. I could easily get a job, but I don't want to miss a minute of the next couple years. I don't think it's worth it to bring home about half a dollar for each dollar earned, if takes any time away from my kids. Especially, if I have to turn around and give it to someone else to do things around the house. I'm focused on getting them into good colleges now. I remodeled our house, alongside my brother & own a 18V Ridgid tool set. I try to figure out and manage things myself around the house. I do enjoy it-painting, yardwork, iPhoto & iMovie, etc. I don't think I'll look back on life and say I wish I'd have worked more.
PS-If you want to read more about the pros of SAHMs, read the chapter-"The Most Important Story You'll Never See on TV", in Bernard Goldberg's "BIAS".

32 of 37 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A book for Moms and Future Moms, April 7, 2009

By	Kari Yozviak "ky" (Texas) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I am excited to read this book. It is about time someone wrote a book praising stay at home moms. I have a confession, I am a working mom. Oh how I wish I could stay home. We have tried to work the budget, have only one car, we don't go on vacations or live extravagantly at all. I even buy my clothes at the second hand store. Unfortunately, my husband needs help supporting the family. I have arranged my work schedule so that I get home before get off the school bus and my husband takes them to school every morning. BUT I still miss a lot! I miss enjoying the warm summer days by the pool with my girls. I miss being able to stay home when they are sick for a week. I miss just relaxing in the evening and laughing with my kids because I have too much house work to do. This book is for young women without kids who want to know what being a mommy is all about. They should read it and make this lifestyle their goal. IF young women understand that being a mommy is the most important job in the world, perhaps they will make sure to choose a husband who will support this goal and provide accordingly.