Who’s minding the kids?

Who has time to mind the kids?

Who has time to read newspapers?

Who has time to work with the homeless? Or in youth shelters? Or with the handicapped?

Who has time to read or think or write or paint?

As we seek to balance our work lives with other roles, we find ourselves time-starved for anything outside of work.

With the industrial revolution, paid work became limited mainly to men. They went out—to the city, to the office—and women stayed home to raise the children. Only jobs with children and the sick remained open to them, usually with much less pay than the men earned.

Western culture cleaved: men worked at paying jobs; women worked at home. Home became increasingly separate from vocation.

Then women began to notice the cleavage. Having worked for the entire history of the world until that time–on farms and in small family operations—they began to question why they now were kept from the economic work force. They began joining this work force.

However, since most economic activity now takes place away from home, it means no one is around to do home things—taking care of children, the elderly, the sick and the needy.

Our vocations are in need of newer forms: parental leave, fewer penalties for dropping out of the work force for a while to follow other pursuits: family/people/spiritual activities. Replacement of the standard 40-hour work week.

The patterns for work and home need restructuring.