From what I've read, a woman staying at home and raising a family was at it's peak in the 1950s (please correct me if I'm wrong). Apparently in the 1920s, a lot more women were in the workforce, then it decreased, then increased during WW2, then decreased, then increased ever since the 1960-70s.
Since the 1960-70s, staying home and raising a family has been looked upon as the "lesser" option for women. If you weren't busting your ass in the corporate world, you were wasting your life and your talents.
I read an article that said 50% of HBS graduates who are women eventually quit the corporate world and stay home to raise kids (for at least a period of time).
Are we seeing a shift where focusing on raising a family is suddenly viewed as being more valuable? I hope so, because I personally feel (whether man or woman), that focusing your efforts on creating a great environment to raise kids is far more valuable (and has a bigger impact) than most professions.
Apparently in the 1920s, a lot more women were in the workforce
Yes, but there was a qualitative difference there: The women who were employed in the first half of the 20th century were mostly young, uneducated, and single. There was no work/family conflict in general: Women (or at least, "good" women) didn't have children until they were married, and husbands (or at least "good" husbands) provided enough income that a wife no longer needed to work.
The employed woman of the 2010s -- usually well educated, often married, often having or intending to have children regardless of marital status -- is very different from the employed woman of the 1920s.
Comments
Hmmm.... are we in the midst of a paradigm shift?
From what I've read, a woman staying at home and raising a family was at it's peak in the 1950s (please correct me if I'm wrong). Apparently in the 1920s, a lot more women were in the workforce, then it decreased, then increased during WW2, then decreased, then increased ever since the 1960-70s.
Since the 1960-70s, staying home and raising a family has been looked upon as the "lesser" option for women. If you weren't busting your ass in the corporate world, you were wasting your life and your talents.
I read an article that said 50% of HBS graduates who are women eventually quit the corporate world and stay home to raise kids (for at least a period of time).
Are we seeing a shift where focusing on raising a family is suddenly viewed as being more valuable? I hope so, because I personally feel (whether man or woman), that focusing your efforts on creating a great environment to raise kids is far more valuable (and has a bigger impact) than most professions.
Apparently in the 1920s, a lot more women were in the workforce
Yes, but there was a qualitative difference there: The women who were employed in the first half of the 20th century were mostly young, uneducated, and single. There was no work/family conflict in general: Women (or at least, "good" women) didn't have children until they were married, and husbands (or at least "good" husbands) provided enough income that a wife no longer needed to work.
The employed woman of the 2010s -- usually well educated, often married, often having or intending to have children regardless of marital status -- is very different from the employed woman of the 1920s.