Family Finances

As we know, the roles of a father and a mother are different. However, they work together to make the best situation for their family. Generally, fathers are off at work, so they can provide financially for the family while the mother is at home taking care of the kids at the house. When we think of a father’s contribution to a family people think of things such as: off at work, a genetic contribution, fills in what mom can’t do, and they preside, provide, and protect.

                Men know that when they become a husband and a father, that their role is to provide for the family. They know that they are supposed to get a job and provide the finances for the family. Women, however, can either be a stay at home mother or can work part or even full-time. This can be confusing for some women. Some women don’t know whether it is worth it to go to college to get a further education. There are both benefits and costs to a woman going to college to receive a degree.

                There are many benefits when women go to college and get a degree. They will have a decent job that they will be able to fall back on that pays decent money if they have a degree in case their husband loses his job or in case of a divorce. They would be able to step up for the family to provide financially for them in a time of need. Another benefit is accomplishing something. The feeling of success is huge, and they won’t feel regret later for not going to school if something happens to the father and his job. The mother receiving a college degree can also help the children in the family. It can set an example for children to work hard and that anybody can do anything if they set their mind on it. They will also be able to be able to help children more sufficiently with homework from school and it lets the mother have social connections while she is both in school and working at her job that going to school allowed her to have.

                There are also some costs with women going to college if they have a family. A major one would be student debt. Student debt can take a long time to pay off and cause the family more financial struggles in the long run, even if she were to get a job to help pay off. Also, when a mother works, it affects the children in the family and can put a major strain on the family dynamic. A woman’s college education may also delay children which can also result in having fewer children. It may be an excuse to not have children until they finish school. Family should always come first over everything. Putting a woman’s education before having children and creating a family can have negative effects.

                If a mother chooses to work while the father is also working there can be costs of dual incomes. Some of these include the parent’s availability. The parents will be less available and attentive to their children. The standard of living for the family may also go up while they have extra income and the family may expect more and more. There also may be a desire to delay children because the couple likes having the money they make and using it how they want.

                The world tells us that in order to strengthen a family, we should delay it and in order to be in a better economic situation, we should spend money. Sometimes we let the world tell us how to get places and how to do things, but we forget that we have a God who will take us there and show us how to do it.