The Misinformation Regarding "Breadwinner Moms"

The past week has seen a massive amount of press coverage surrounding the May 29, 2013, release of a study by the Pew Research Center entitled “Breadwinner Moms: Mothers Are the Sole or Primary Provider in Four-in-Ten Households with Children; Public Conflicted about the Growing Trend.” The findings of this study are extremely important in the understanding of today’s society in order to make critical policy decisions. Sadly, press coverage leads to misinterpretation, inadequate headlines and catchy sound-bites that lead the general public to misinformation, at minimum. In this particular case, the articles and unending debates are completely overshadowing the study’s findings. As is typical, we are losing our unique opportunity to address hard data that could lead to major societal improvements.

As far as I’m concerned, there is only one way to discover what the study ACTUALLY found – read it yourself! The Chapter One Overview of the Pew Research Center study follows.

"A record 40% of all households with children under the age of 18 include mothers who are either the sole or primary source of income for the family, according to a new Pew Research Center analysis of data from the U.S. Census Bureau. The share was just 11% in 1960."

Alarmingly, much of the press coverage and on-air debates appear to address this paragraph alone even though the PDF report is 29 pages long. However, even when the press coverage stops here, the coverage is focusing solely on women’s desire to work and glossing over women’s need to work. Both are true and it does a disservice to neglect to mention that the idealized one-income family of the 1960’s transformed long ago into a two-income family necessary for survival. The option to work or not work is a luxury in today’s society and THAT is the significant discussion point.

Moving on, a critical point regarding today’s society is clearly stated in the next two paragraphs of the Pew Research Center study.

"These “breadwinner moms” are made up of two very different groups: 5.1 million (37%) are married mothers who have a higher income than their husbands, and 8.6 million (63%) are single mothers."

"The income gap between the two groups is quite large. The median total family income of married mothers who earn more than their husbands was nearly $80,000 in 2011, well above the national median of $57,100 for all families with children, and nearly four times the $23,000 median for families led by a single mother."

To reiterate, 63% of the 40% of families who are the sole or primary breadwinner are single mothers. Also, note that the median income for families led by a single mother is $23,000. THESE are the statistics that need our focus rather than any BS that decries that working women are ruining the American family since, as the study shows, working women are supporting the American family. Accusatory debates completely miss the point and deflect attention to self-serving interests, as well as direct discussions far away from tangible, resolvable matters.

The inherent poverty of single mothers is the issue and any study in poverty would explain the multiple levels of issues that produce this economic outcome. Child support enforcement is sorely lacking. Pay inequity is ever-apparent. Child care is barely affordable. And salary is always a factor in “gender-specific” jobs. In addition, there is no one reason for single motherhood and blame and judgments are less than helpful. Certainly, no child exists due to a miracle of Immaculate Conception, so single motherhood involves and affects both men and women. Instead of blaming women for destroying the American family, we need to recognize the actual findings of the Pew Research Center study, accept that certain conditions exist and make policy decisions that help all of our children. It is irrational to condemn half the population for the consequences of societal conditions.

For further information, please read the Pew Research Center study at http://www.pewsocialtrends.org/2013/05/29/breadwinner-moms/

The PDF version of the Pew Research Center study can be found at http://www.pewsocialtrends.org/files/2013/05/Breadwinner_moms_final.pdf

U.S. Census Poverty Data can be found at
http://www.census.gov/hhes/www/poverty/

• My original post can be found at http://www.womenontheedge.org/the-misinformation-regarding-breadwinner-m...