Just four decades ago, women could choose between work and family. The economy was good and only one income could support a family comfortably. Women could choose to have a career as a nurse, secretary, teacher or one of the few other careers that were oriented almost entirely for women. No one thought that it was unusual for a “career” woman to hold off starting a family, with the exception of her mother perhaps. It was, however, unheard of for a woman to have both a career and family since she would be considered guilty of not giving enough attention to her family or her work. The more accepted ideal for women of the 60s was that they would choose to stay home and raise a family and have dinner on the table for the husband when he returned home after work.

Things have changed radically since the early 90s and especially in the past decade. The economy has made it impossible for an average American family to survive without at least two incomes. The average blue collar working family can barely make it from paycheck to paycheck in the current recession and therefore women must work to help the family survive, there is no choice between a career or family, she must do both and she had better be supermom and superwoman while she does.

With children at home, many women are unable to further their education because they cannot afford a babysitter or the tuition. Many women without furthering their education don’t have a career, they have a “job” and many “jobs” are low paying. Even so, women cannot choose to stay home with their children anymore. Moms have to hold a job, sometimes more than one, and leave her children in the care of substitute care givers. Usually a second job is held so that the family can pay for the babysitter.

What if there aren’t any children? The days of the Honeymooners have long been over. Even without children in the household, women must help to make ends meet by working. The average married couple cannot afford an apartment or home, food, clothing and utilities on one income. Without dependents, they may bring home less after income taxes are withheld from their paycheck than a married couple with children which makes it harder for their little family to survive.

Do women have a choice between work and family? The answer is no.