I have a friend whose father regularly says “there’s no point in sending women to college as they always give up working”. This is an immense source of annoyance to my friend who has always been in (very gainful) employment since leaving college twenty years ago and, given the state of her company’s pension fund, looks likely to continue to do so until she is seventy. On the other hand she talked about another friend who had recently attended a twenty year school reunion. At the ten year reunion, all of her former classmates had been running the world; at this reunion, it was all “you have children and you still have to work, how dreadful for you”.
We then talked about all the women we knew who were the main breadwinners in their households (including both of us though, I’m hoping that, in my case, that is only temporary). Off the top of our heads, we came up with 10. Isn’t that interesting? Brave new world, people. Now, if only we could close that persistent salary gap.
In my book group, consisting of 12 women, all but one of whom has children and is married or co-habiting, 9 of the 11 are/were the main breadwinners, earning between 30% more and 150% more than their partner. Interestingly I am the only one who shares child care; all the others have gone part-time but their husbands/partners remain full-time. (And the 2 who are not the main breadwinners are both married to consultants and one is a consultant herself so is not the main breadwinner only by dint of the fact they are both equal if you see what I mean).
Oh gosh, currently going through this too. I have never assumed I’d give up work after kids but always assumed I’d have a period of part-time working; no kids, redundant husband (from his JOB!) means I’m the only wage earner (though our large savings are not just due to me so I’m not the only one providing the bacon, just the only one bringing it home just now).
See current whinge for more details!