I need a raise
Excerpts from a recent Ann Landers piece:
Stay-at-home moms put in long hours
Dear Abby:
I need your help with something. My 16-year-old grandson seems to think that all his mother does is stay at home.
He conveniently “forgets” that she is a housekeeper, gardener, cook, teacher, nurse, driver and mediator.
Could you please print a breakdown of what a stay-at-home wife should be paid?
I would love to have the list so I can pass the “bill” on to him.
Vivian in Colonial Beach, Va.
Dear Vivian:
According to Census Bureau figures for 2004—which are the most recent—there are 36.7 million mothers of minor children in the United States. About one third of them, 10.8 million, are stay-at-home moms.
According to an article penned by Al Neuharth, the founder of USA Today, in its May 12 edition, “Salary.com compensation experts estimate that stay-at-home moms work an average of 91.6 hours a week.”
That’s more than double the number of hours the average office worker puts in.
He went on to say, “That should be worth $133,121 annually.”
