No, because at some point they can still go back to work, like when the kids start school, or when the inevitable divorce happens and they have to.

Also, they probably worked in their chosen fields before they had kids, so they used it then.

I don't ever think any education is a waste, but then I believe in education for the sake of it, and that's largely a personal decision. I suppose a person could get a math education degree, become a math professor, and still feel like he or she wasted the degree... if the person wanted to see it as such.

I feel even strongly that a SAHM isn't wasting her degree (or a stay-at-home-dad, for that matter). People have a biological capacity for intelligence, but they also have developmental potential, which varies. An educated primary caregiver, be it mom, dad, grandparent, or hired help, will help a child maximize potential if that person's education is applied toward educating and intellectually stimulating the child.

No

No, I think all education is valuable, regardless of whether or not one uses it to advance their career.

Not at all; isn't the college degree the new high school degree anyway?

Now, I would say that of some higher, more competitive degrees, though, but the concern is less monetary and more in keeping out qualified people who would utilize that training.

the more smart people having kids instead of dumb people, the better

not if they used it to trick a man into taking care of her

That sounds like something my mom would say, or has said

No. I think education is always useful no matter what you end up using it for. I am glad I went to college even though I am unemployed. It made me a more rational thinker and more reliable; both of which are valuable outside the work place as well. I hope some day to use my degree but if I don't find a job soon and if I have kids first and stay at home with them for a while and then if I get a job that technically anyone with a high school diploma could have, it still won't be a waste. Acquiring knowledge is never a waste.

No, they'd never learn the things they learned in college anywhere else. Plus, if they ever needed to start working, a college degree would be an enormous help.

it depends if they plan to get a job anytime in the future, but if they don't, then totally

No, if something happens, they can easily get a job to support their children.

I don't like this question. If you want to go back to school, continue your process as a life long learner DO IT. Money should be NO object. Money should never have to be a deciding factor when it comes to the important things you want to do. If they decide, cool, now I want to stay home...I can always go back into the field with this degree later, Awesome!

On Wednesday 12/23/09 - 7:41:36 AM Electric wrote: That sounds like something my mom would say, or has said

She said something in the past about a woman with an MD degree deciding to become a stay-at-home parent, if I recall. That's one of those instances where I do think it's disgraceful, although I feel the need to emphasize that the disgrace isn't in becoming a stay-at-home mom, it's in taking up an MD spot and then not practicing. I think your mum took it the other way around, though, and made a big deal about the stay-at-home mom part.

i dont think so...

If you're going to get yourself a degree, you should use it. But pregnancy happens, and sometimes you need a break, but that shouldn't stop you from still trying to incorporate that degree into your everyday life.

Lots of stay at home moms did spend time working (and using their degree) before they decided to become stay at home moms. Lives change and everyone decides what is more important in their situation. In many cases, spending time with the children is more important than working at a job and putting kids into daycare...

If you only value education for the wage it can bring you, then in my opinion you're doing it wrong.
Education is never wasted, and I wouldn't consider the money spent on it to be wasted just because you were never able to recover the costs by working.