Rise of Stay-at-home moms have leveled off since 1999

Larry’s take on the trend of the demise of the stay-at-home mom is likely only when one looks at a wide snapshot. From 1948 to 1999, the percentage of women in the work force climbed from 32.7% to 60%, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. But, since 1999, though, that five-decade increase has leveled off, with the percentage of women in the work force down slightly at 59.2% as of January.

This was brought to light today in an article describing the implication of this trend on restaurant industry which finds itself in a steady two year decline due in large part to less disposable income in the family. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB120545757523835443.html?mod=todays_us_marketplace 

Now you might say this is due to rising fuel or to an increase in adjustable mortgages or simply a steady decline in discretionary income and that could be. But the correlation of two pieces of data seem to me to be a compelling cause related to the steadying of the two income family. Consumers have increased the number of meals they make at home. Last year, 207 restaurant meals were purchased per person, down from a peak of 211 in 2001, according to NPD. Meanwhile, Americans prepared 861 meals at home in 2007, compared with 817 in 2002, NPD says.

While Larry describes this trend’s implications narrowly to the decline in available volunteers (and he’s right, in absolute terms) we may find that the worst is behind us. But think about this, if 4 year old preschool becomes compulsory and therefore paid by the state, this will free up both time and money and see a RISE in working women because of less tension between the cost of working and staying at home. But, other studies have noted that when given the choice, women WANT to stay at home and mostly work to add income to the family’s bank account. So it could in fact do the exact opposite and we’ll see a REDUCTION in working women with young children! Don’t you love statistics?

By the way, don’t you see a correlation between the rise of the Children’s Minister as a position vis-a-vis the reduction of available time among now-working women? Seems like we’ve benefitted professionally while at the same time felt the pain in our volunteer pool!